Broken Heart Betrayal
by AmOrFoReVeRmOrE
Summary: I could tell they thought I was insane. If I had seen myself, I would have thought so also. They kept asking who I was talking about. How could I tell them that I was in the past and that I had fallen in love with Tom Riddle?
1. Promised

When I opened my eyes, I found myself back at Hogwarts. Not the Hogwarts I had gotten used to over the last four months, the one in _my_ original time.

I had landed in the great hall during the christmas eve feast and everyone was shocked to see me. Thinking of where I had just come from made me burst into tears. Unable to hold myself up any longer, I crumpled to the ground.

This sent everyone into a rush of activity. Harry, Ron and Ginny jumped up and ran towards me.

"Hermione," Ginny called. When my friends reached where I had collapsed, they kneeled down next to me, worried looks on all of their faces.

"Hermione," Ginny said again. "What happened? Are you alright? Where have you been?"

All I could do was throw my arms around the nearest person to me, which happened to be Harry, and sob uncontrollably.

It took about ten minutes for me to calm down and when I wiped off my eyes, I saw that Dumbledore had dismissed everyone and the only people left in the room were teachers, Harry, Ginny, Ron and me.

When I was able to talk again, I looked at my friends for a moment before saying, "Is Voldemort still at large?"

My friends exchanged confused glances and Ron said, "Hermione, what are you talking about? Of course he is."

I felt the urge to cry again but I was in control of myself and I only let a single tear slide down my face.

Without looking up at anyone, I whispered, "He promised."

"What are you talking about?" Harry asked, even more confused and worried. "Hermione, who promised?"

I knew they would not understand what I was saying but I did not care. "Tom. Tom promised that no matter what, it would not happen. I thought I changed hIm, Harry." I took a laboring breath, shaking with the betrayal and hurt that I felt.

"Hermione, we stIll don't understand. Who is Tom? Did he hurt you?" Ron asked.

My focus turned to my red-haired friend. "I thought he loved me enough not to lie to me. He said he would never call a meeting again, that he would never kIll again. How could he?"

I could tell by the looks on their faces that they thought I was insane. If I had heard myself, I would have come to the same conclusion. I did not care though. My thoughts were all centered on one person.

I heard a throat clear and I looked up to Dumbledore looking down at me. "I thought I had changed hIm, Professor," I repeated. "Tom said he loved me."

Dumbledore smiled sadly at me. "Tom did, Hermione. With everything he had."

Another tear slid down my face but my voice did not waver. "Then why was it not enough?"

"Had you stayed," Dumbledore told me. "It would have been. When you sImply disappeared, Tom could not take it. He had finally opened up to someone only to have that person ripped away."

My head started spinning. "I don't understand - he promised."

Before I could say another word, my eyes rolled up into my head and I passed out.


	2. First Interlude

Four Months Earlier

_Damn it, _Hermione thought to herself. _McGonagall is going to kill me._

Hermione was on her way to transfiguration when the strap on her bag broke, the constant strain her books provided too much for it to handle. Ink, quills and books scattered around the floor.

"Great," Hermione muttered to herself, rushing to put everything back in her bag.

_First week of classes and I'm already late_, she thought

Hermione cast a quick spell to see what time it was. 2:27. Seeing that she had three minutes to get to class, Hermione charmed her bag to be weightless and sprinted down the hallway.

Halfway to the classroom, and with two minutes to go, Hermione tripped over something. Before she hit the ground, she heard laughing and made plans to murder Peeves after class was over.

"May I help you?"

Hermione looked up to see a boy her age standing there, a confused look on his face.

Hermione's brain thought faster than it ever had to before, something that seemed impossible. She had never seen this boy before, or at least she did not think so. Hermione was never one to fall for a pretty face, but even she had to admit that he was the sweetest of all eye candy.

Upon closer inspection, Hermione saw that there was a head boy's badge on his clothes, the Hogwarts uniform. _How is that possible? _Hermione thought._ Draco Malfoy is the head boy, and I'm the head girl._

"Yes, thank you," Hermione said. The boy offered his hand, but Hermione got up on her own. Dusting her skirts off, she asked, "Could you show me the way to Professor Dumbledore, please?"

The boy's eyes darkened slightly but he nodded and started leading the way. After a few moments, the two of them were standing outside an office. Hermione was beyond confused. The office was familiar to her, but she knew it as McGonagall's.

"Here you go," the boy said.

Hermione smiled and thanked him, before knocking on the door.

When a voice from the other side said, "Enter," Hermione shot one last look at her escort before walking in.

She looked at the man sitting behind the desk. Her jaw dropped and she couldn't help but stare. Dumbledore's appearance had not changed except for one thing. There was still the half-moon glasses, the long beard and hair, and the twinkle in the eye, but instead of the grey hair that she was so accustomed to, Dumbledore was a red head.

After recovering, something that took a few moments, Hermione cleared her throat nervously and said, "Um, Professor? I was wondering if you could help me out."

Dumbledore smiled. "I believe it's safe to say that the answer is yes, but who is it that I am helping?"

"My name is Hermione, sir. Hermione Granger."

"Well then Ms. Granger, what can I do for you?" Dumbledore asked kindly.

"Well, you see sir, I'm kind of...lost," Hermione said.

He raised his eyebrows. "Lost? How so?"

Hermione took a deep breath. "Sir, this is going to sound crazy but I swear that every part of it is true." Dumbledore looked slightly puzzled but he remained quiet. "I was walking down the hallway to my transfiguration cla-"

Hermione froze. "Oh my god," she whispered.

She looked up at Dumbledore, not the familiar version, but the one with red hair. Everything clicked.

Hermione started over. "This is going to sound even crazier... but I'm from the future."

Dumbledore just sat there for a few minutes before saying, "Well, it seems that we are in quite a predicament. Would you like a lemon drop?"

Hermione could not help but smile. Some things never change.

"Professor, what am I going to do?" Hermione asked.

Dumbledore thought for a moment before saying, "As of now, there are no time travel methods that will suffice. I suggest you stay here and attend school until we find a safe way to transport you home."

"Alright," Hermione said. There was silence in the room until Hermione broke it by saying, "I'll need a new name, won't I?" Dumbledore nodded. "I think I'll go by Hermione Goldner."

Dumbledore thought for a moment. "Why don't we go with Hermione Dumbledore instead." Hermione's jaw dropped. "We can say that you are my niece who up until now has been traveling with her parents. How does that sound?"

"Sounds good," Hermione said, grinning.

"Well then, it seems that the only thing left is to determine your house and your classes. What courses did you take in your time?" Dumbledore asked.

"Advanced Potions, Advanced Transfiguration, Advanced Astronomy, Advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts, Advanced Arithmacy, Advanced History of Magic, Advanced Charms, and Advanced Ancient Runes."

Dumbledore looked over his glasses at her. "Is that all?"

Hermione blushed and nodded.

"That's quite impressive. Taking all those courses I don't think anyone will doubt you are my niece."

Hermione's blush deepened. "Thanks, Uncle Albus."

Dumbledore grinned at his new nickname.

"Now, the only thing we have to do is sort everything out with Headmaster Dippet."

The meeting with the current Headmaster of Hogwarts went smoothly and Hermione was enrolled in no time. The rest of the day was spent either transfiguring new clothes or buying school supplies, courtesy of Dumbledore.

Everything was done by dinner time, where Hermione was to be introduced to the entire school and sorted. She was pacing nervously in a room off to the side of the great hall, waiting for her cue to enter.

Hermione heard the the chatter settle down to a murmur and Dippet started talking. "I'm sorry to interrupt your dinner, but we have a new student joining us today. She has just transfered here from being home-schooled and Will be joining the seventh years for the remainder of the year. She is also the niece of one of our very own teachers. Please welcome, Miss Hermione Dumbledore."

Hermione took a deep breath before entering the great hall. Whispers went around the room as Hermione walked over to the stool that was set up for her sorting.

She saw an unfamiliar teacher motion for her to sit and she did so. The room went silent when the sorting hat was placed on her head.

"Hmmmmm," the sorting hat said inside her head. "What an interesting case. Clearly not Hufflepuff, too smart for that house. Not Ravenclaw either, though, too social. Definitely not Slytherin, much too kind for that house. It seems that the answer is all too clear."

Hermione could not help but smirk.

"Gryffindor!" the hat shouted. Cheering and cat calls broke out from her house table.

Hermione smiled and walked towards her new housemates. As soon as she sat down, the empty seats around her were immediately filled.

Hermione was overwhelmed by all the people shouting introductions at her.

"It's really nice to meet all of you, but I couldn't understand a word of that," she said.

Hermione heard a chuckle to her right and turned to see a black haired boy sitting next to her.

"You'll have to excuse all of them," he said. "They're not exactly used to having something as exciting as this happen."

"Glad to hear I'm the cause of it," Hermione said sarcastically.

The boy sitting next to her laughed. "I'm Richard Creevey, nice to meet you."

Hermione had to stop herself from grinning. Richard Creevey was nothing like his grandchildren, Dennis and Colin, who practically stalked Harry and took pictures of everything around them.

"You too," she said.

Richard started to introduce everyone. "That guy across from you with the red hair is Will Weasley."

Hermione smiled at Ron's grandfather. She would have been able to spot him anywhere with his trademark hair and freckles.

Richard continued. "On Will's left is Michael Longbottom and on your other side is Henry Lupin."

Hermione smiled at everyone around her. "Nice to meet you guys."

"So, Hermione," Will said. "What do you think of Hogwarts so far?"

"I've only been here a few hours so I don't have much of an opinion yet. So far it seems...big. I don't know how I'll manage to get around." Hermione couldn't help but feel odd when she talked about Hogwarts as if she had never been there.

The group around her smiled. "Don't worry about it," Michael said. "You'll manage. And until then, you have us to help you get around."

"What classes are you taking?" Richard asked.

Hermione recited the list for the second time that day. "I'm taking Advanced Potions, Advanced Transfiguration, Advanced Astronomy, Advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts, Advanced Arithmacy, Advanced History of Magic, Advanced Charms, and Advanced Ancient Runes."

Henry grinned. "Seems like Riddle is going to have some competition this year."

Hermione's stomach dropped. Riddle? Hermione tried to calm herself down. _What are the chances? _she thought_. It has to be someone else._

"Who's Riddle?" Hermione asked cautiously.

"Riddle is the current head boy, top of the class, and the most arrogant prick you'll ever meet," said Michael.

Hermione could not help but smirk. "We'll see if he's still top of the class when I'm through with him."

The four boys laughed. "Nice to hear that Riddle's going to get a challenge," Will said.

"Yeah, too bad you can't change the arrogant prick part," Henry commented.

"Don't you let these boys fool you," Hermione turned to see a pretty brunette sit down across from her, in between Will and Michael. "They're just jealous because all the girls like Riddle instead of them."

"Including her," Henry muttered to Hermione, who couldn't help but laugh.

Richard cleared his throat. "Excuse me, Gina, but I have quite a few of the ladies after myself."

The girl, who was apparently named Gina, turned back to Hemione. "Watch out for this one. Richard is Gryffindor's heartthrob, second in the school only to Riddle."

Hermione smiled, "I'll be on my toes then."

"Hermione, this is my cousin Gina Longbottom," Michael said.

Hermione smiled at Gina before looking at the rest of the hall. "So, who is this Riddle that we've been talking about for the last five minutes?"

"Over at the Slytherin table, the green and silver one, in between that really angry looking guy and the blonde who's bordering on albino," Will told her.

Hermione spotted Riddle and grinned when she heard the two boys' descriptions. Knowing their descendants, Hermione knew that they were this time period's Malfoy and Black.

Hermione was almost positive of who Riddle was, but just to be sure she asked, "What's Riddle's first name?"

"Tom," Richard told her. "Tom Riddle."

Just then Hermione met eyes with Tom Riddle, and she felt a shudder of fear go through her body.

_Going to school with Voldemot, she thought. I am so screwed._

A/N: Hey guys, hoped you liked that chapter. Personally I thought it was boring, but necessary.

Just so I don't get a bunch of comments on it, I know that I switched from first person to third. It was on purpose. I'll be switching off between the past and the present and every time it's in the past, I'll be using third person. Makes it more interesting for me.

review?


	3. Lecture

I woke up to find myself in the hospital wing. I looked around and saw that Harry and Ron had stayed beside my bed the entire night.

Just then, Madame Pomfrey walked in.

"Oh, thank god you're awake!" she cried, waking my two friends up. "I'll owl Dumbledore immediately." With that, she walked out of the room.

Harry, the first one to open his eyes, looked around groggily until his gaze rested on me and he became fully alert. Harry elbowed Ron before turning to look at me.

"Hermione, how are you feeling?" he asked.

I smiled at him. "Just a bit tired, but that's to be expected. How have you guys been?"

Harry and Ron exchanged glances before shrugging. "Everything here has been fine. We've been worried sick about you though. We kept asking Dumbledore but all he told us was that you were safe and would return eventually," Ron told me.

"We thought Voldemort had you and that Dumbledore was lying to us," Harry continued. "That was our newest theory. We've been researching possible hideouts for Voldemort and ways to rescue you."

"That's sweet," I said, smiling.

"Um, Hermione?" Harry asked. "I know you just woke up, but where have you been?"

The smile vanished from my face and I looked down at my hands. "I've been at Hogwar-"

"What?" Ron shouted. "You've been at Hogwarts the entire time and no one told us?"

I sighed. "No Ron, let me finish. I was at Hogwarts, over fifty years in the past."

Harry and Ron just stared at me, mouths hanging open. I could read their thoughts on their faces. They were in total disbelief.

I decided to wake them from their trance.

"This may be an inopportune moment, but we need to start training to kill Voldemort." I could feel my heart shatter as I said these words. I knew it had to be done. After all, I currently knew more about Voldemort than anyone else in the world. It still was so wrong, I would be betraying the man who I had fallen in love with fifty years ago.

I could not help but feel guilty. I had the chance to save him and I could not. If only I had not been sent to the future again. Then Harry would have his parents, Lupin would not have become a warewolf and countless other people would have better lives.

I had to make everything the way it was supposed to be. I had to make everything better and the only way to do this was to break Voldemort's hold on the world. Even if that meant my heart breaking in the process.

"Mione, we have been training. We've been training since the three of us lived at headquarters together," Harry said, obviously confused.

"While I was in the past, I acquired information on Voldemort that no one else knows," I told them. Harry and Ron's eyes widened.

Before any questions could be asked, Dumbledore walked into the room.

"Ah, Ms. Granger," he said. "How are you feeling?"

"As well as can be expected," I replied, giving a halfhearted smile. "Can you do me a favor Uncle Alb- I mean, Professor?"

Dumbledore chuckled. "Ms. Granger, you are free to continue to call me Uncle Albus if you like. What kind of favor do you require?"

"Well sir, I know it sounds odd, but I would like to call a meeting of the order with a few select people and teach them about Voldemort," I told him

Dumbledore's eye brows shot up. "It will be done. When would you like to have this meeting?"

My reply came instantly. "We should start today, if that is possible."

Dumbledore nodded. "And who do you wish to attend this?"

I thought for a moment. "I want all the Weasleys except Percy, Harry of course, you, Tonks, Lupin, Mad-Eye, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Neville Longbottom, Professor McGonagall, Hagrid, and Uncle Albus? Are you positive that Snape is on our side?"

Dumbledore nodded. "_Professor_ Snape. And yes, I would trust that man with my life."

"Then Professor Snape also," I said. "Is it possible to assemble everyone by tonight?"

Dumbledore thought for a moment before nodding. "I will alert all of them immediately."

I thanked Dumbledore before turning back to Harry and Ron.

"Hermione," Harry asked. "Are you sure that this is a good idea?"

I gave Harry and incredulous look.

"Why wouldn't it be?" I asked.

"Well," he said. "I'm just thinking that it would put you in a lot of danger if Voldemort found out."

I smiled at my friend. "Harry, don't worry about me. Over these last few months I've learned more then you can imagine. I'll be fine."

The three of us talked for a little while longer before Madame Pomfrey kicked them out and told me to get some rest, giving me a potion that immediately sent me into a deep sleep.

"Hermione, wake up," I heard someone say.

I groggily sat up and saw Ginny leaning over me. I immediately gave her a huge hug, one that she returned equally.

"Ginny, I wish you were with me. Out of everyone, you would have understood the most," I told my redheaded friend.

Ginny smiled. "Everything has been really messed up since you disappeared. Oh, I almost forgot." Ginny said, smacking herself on the head. "Dumbledore told me to bring you some clothes and to bring you to the room of requirement. A bunch of people are gathered there although he wouldn't tell us why."

I thanked Ginny for the clothes. "Don't worry Gin, I'll explain everything once we get there.

Fifteen minutes later, I was dressed in clean clothes and on my way to the Room of Requirement with Ginny filling me in on everything that had happened.

"And you'll never believe this," she said. "Luna got a boyfriend."

I grinned. "And who is this new boyfriend of hers?"

"Well, apparently, Theodore Nott has been in love with her ever his second year," she said cracking up. I could not help but laugh. As much as I missed the 1940s, or at least the people in it, it was nice to be back.

We reached the Room of Requirement and my face became somber again. I looked around to see the twenty or so people I had asked for staring back at me.

Everyone's eyes fell on me, and I was immediately suffocated in a huge hug from Molly.

"Oh, thank goodness you're alright," she cried out.

When she let go of me, she opened her mouth to ask where I was, but she was cut off by Dumbledore.

"The floor is yours, Ms. Granger," he said, smiling encouragingly.

I smiled back, although it came out more as a grimace. "Thanks Uncle Albus," I replied, making the confused faces even more so.

I turned to address the entire room. "Um, hi everyone." I said nervously. "I don't know if Unc-Dumbledroe, sorry, has told you but I am here to coach you on Voldemort."

Confusion turned to disbelief.

"Miss Granger," said a familiar drawl. I turned to see Snape looking right at me. "Why would we be taking lessons from you when most of us here have been parts of the Order of the Phoenix much longer then you?"

I met his gaze head on. "Because, _professor_, I currently know more about Voldemort than any person you could find, except the big man himself."

"Hermione," Lupin started. "Where have you been? How could you know this?"

My face darkened slightly, something that did not go unnoticed by the occupants of the room.

"I've spent these last few months sixty years in the past," I told them. There was silence in the room for a few moments. I could tell that they were all trying to wrap their minds around that idea.

"If there are no more objections, I think we should begin sooner rather than later," I told them.

This was met with a few nods and the encouraging smile here and there. My voice strengthened a bit as I continued to talk.

"For today," I told them. "I'm just going to tell you some information."

I took a deep breath before starting my lecture.

"First of all, and this is probably one of the most important things I can tell you, most of what you know about Voldemort has been fabricated."

This statement was met with various gasps from all around the room.

"All throughout his life, Tom Riddle had set plans for everything. He made sure that there was no chance at all that anything could go wrong and set up some surprises early on by having at least three back-up plans." My stomach continued to drop the more I talked. I knew that I had to though, and I kept going.

"For instance, unlike most wizards, Voldemort has two different wands in case of an emergency. He created a process to split one wand into two and to have them identical and equally powerful. He keeps the second in a customized arm band that he created himself

"Voldemort's power is far greater than anyone knows. When he was in his fifth year, he learned how to use wandless, non-verbal magic without any eye contact and from a distance over miles away. In addition to this, Voldemort is not right-handed like we believe. He has trained himself to be ambidextrous and is far more skilled with his left hand then with his right, something only a handful of people have witnessed. Any questions so far?" I asked.

"Hermione, this isn't exactly related," Neville started. "But why have you only picked us. Shouldn't more people know this information?"

I nodded. "Yes, this information is pretty much invaluable. However, I had to pick people that I completely trusted and knew would not betray the order. If Voldemort even got a whiff of what I'm telling you now, he would figure everything out. He can _not_ know that I am alive."

I could tell that Neville understood, however grudgingly.

I continued. "I think I should tell you all about Tom Riddle's life. As most of you know, Voldemort grew up in an orphanage. The place was endlessly cruel and grossly under-funded. For the first five years that Voldemort lived there, the matron was a very kind woman by the name of Cynthia Drawling. Cynthia had a soft spot for Voldemort and he was almost like her son.

"The orphanage changed drastically when a man named Thomas Sterling arrived at there. Sterling was Cynthia's husband. He was abusive and because of that she ran away and started the orphanage. Voldemort had a nightmare the night that Sterling came to the orphanage and because of that, he had been sleeping in Cynthia's room.

"Cynthia had just enough time to hide the five-year-old Voldemort in the closet before Sterling barged in the room. The little Voldemort saw the woman he called his mother beat to death right before his eyes.

"Sterling took over the orphanage. He made the kids work for him and turned the it into an Inn. The children were beaten frequently. In addition to this, Voldemort was an outcast because his magic set him aside from the rest of the group. He was constantly called a freak until one day when he was unable to control the magic and rage building up inside of him. Because he was so powerful, there was too much for him to handle.

"His accidental magic use caused the house to cave in and created an earthquake, killing three of the orphans who lived there. Voldemort was ten years old at the time.

"He thought things would be different when he got to Hogwarts. He was excited. He learned that he wasn't a freak, that he was special. Voldemort was sorted into Slytherin. His hopes were shattered and he once again became the outcast because he was a halfblood instead of a pureblood.

"As a small first year, he decided that he would prove everyone wrong and be better then everyone else. He became perfect student and everyday became more and more powerful. By his third year, he gained power over the entire Slytherin house, even those older then him.

"By the time his seventh year started, he had already killed his father, Thomas Sterling and had opened the Chamber of Secrets. He had decided that he would become the most powerful man in the world. He didn't want to be in control, he just wanted to be the best."

Hermione paused for a moment, knowing the direction the story would take.

There was silence in the room.

"Wow, you almost feel bad for the guy," Ron said. "Well, until you remember it's Voldemort we're talking about."

"Hermione, are you saying that Voldemort didn't want to become dictator of the world?" Charlie asked, confused.

I shook my head. "During the first week of his seventh year, a girl transfered to Hogwarts."

Hermione saw the eyebrows shoot up on half the people in the room. Unable to look at them anymore, Hermione turned to stare out the window that had materialized.

"For the first time since coming to Hogwarts, Voldemort had a challenge. This girl was his equal academically. Voldemort and the girl started competing in everything, each trying to beat the other. He started to respect this girl, something he never thought would happen. He eventually developed a little crush on her.

"At first it started out as the normal thing - noticing that she was funny or thinking about her more often. Every day he started to like her more and more. This girl felt something back to him, but every time her feelings started to surface, she pushed them back down as far as they would go. She refused him constantly but Voldemort didn't give up"

As I told this part of the story, a sad smile came to my face. Telling all these people what had happened brought back so many memories.

"Voldemort would ask her to dances, give her flowers, and do everything he could to try to get her to go on a date with him. She was stubborn though. She felt the feelings but she refused him anyway. One day, Voldemort was all out of ideas. He confronted her, demanding to know why she wouldn't go out with him.

"They had a huge argument. Halfway through it, Voldemort grabbed her and kissed her. In that moment, the girl fell for him and fell hard.

"The two of them became closer then either of them believed possible. Eventually, the girl's feelings deepened to the level that his was on, and they were in love. Voldemort and this girl became inseparable even though the girl was the opposite of the cold hearted Slytherin. She was in Gryffindor and she was muggleborn and a good person. She began to change Voldemort and defrosted his frozen heart.

"One day, the girl disappeared. There was no warning and no goodbye. She just vanished. It was too much for Voldemort to take. His plans of becoming only powerful, grew to plans of becoming a dark lord.

"He got his wish."

A tear fell from my eye and I angrily wiped it away.

I looked back to the group I had assembled and I saw the looks on their faces. The emotions varied from sadness to pity to anger.

"Hermione," Ginny asked. "Who was this girl?"

I took a moment before answering. I saw the realization hit some of them.

I looked back out the window. "You're looking at her."

A/N: wow, i am officially depressed because of this chapter. It was so sad. Or at least, _I _thought it was sad. I'll never know what you thought if you don't review. (hint hint)


	4. Second Interlude

Four Months Earlier

Hermione was walking down to her first class, Advanced Potions, with Henry Lupin and Will Weasley.

"I swear, I wanted to just punch Malfoy in the face," Will complained. "I don't know why you stopped me, Mione. It would have made life a lot easier to have that git in the Hospital Wing where we don't have to deal with him."

Hermione shook her head and smiled. "Dumbledore was standing right behind you, idiot."

Will pouted. "It still would have been worth it."

"How bout this," Hermione suggested. "I stayed at this magical school for a semester and there was this guy there that was exactly like Malfoy. We had a teacher who got really pissed off at him, and as punishment, he transfigured him into a ferret." Hermione's two friends laughed. "I'll teach you how to do that so next time you get the urge to beat Malfoy's face in, you can turn him into a ferret instead."

The two were still grinning when we walked into potions. "I like that idea better," Henry said.

Hermione looked around to see that the Gryffindors had this class with the Slytherins. It must have been some kind of tradition to put the two houses together for this class.

Just as the three students took seats, the potions professor walked in.

"By now, all of you should know that I am Professor Slughorn and I am the instructor of this course."

Hermione inwardly groaned. _Slughorn? _she thought._ Again? Just my luck._

"This is one of the most challenging and exclusive courses that Hogwarts offers. In a weeks time, there will be an exam. Those of you who do not meet the requirements, getting an O, will be moved down to the regular level potions class."

Many of the students shifted nervously in their seats. Hermione could not help but smile. She had no doubt that she would do well on the test.

"Now," Slughorn continued. "Just to refresh our minds of what we learned last year, you all will be allowed to make a potion of your choice. The choices are Polyjuice Potion, Draught of the Living Dead, and Amortenia. You can also make Felix Felicis but I do not recommend it unless you are confident in your potion making skills. The recipes can all be found in your book, you may begin."

Hermione flipped to the page where the instructions to make Felix Felicis were. Looking around, Hermione saw that only one other person had dared to make the complicated potion, Tom Riddle.

Hermione saw this as a challenge and decided that she would work harder on this potion then she had on any other she had made in her life.

She set the cauldron to the right temperature and gathered her ingredients. In a matter of minutes, she was following the directions in an accurate and precise manner.

All the students had finished with ten minutes left of the class. Hermione, who had been done before all the others, had taken the time to casually read through the potions book.

Slughorn walked around the room, assessing all of the potions, giving comments where he felt they were needed.

When he reached Riddle's table, he beamed. "Tom, you have done a fantastic job, my boy."

Riddle smiled, Hermione could instantly tell that he had been expecting such praise and rolled her eyes.

Slughorn continued moving through the students, critiquing and complimenting them as he went.

He reached Hermione's potion and his jaw dropped. "Ms. Dumbledore, this is incredible. It is a better Felix Felicis than even _I_ can make. Twenty points to Gryffindor. Well done."

Hermione blushed and thanked him. She glanced over to the Slytherin side of the room to see Riddle glaring daggers at her, making her bones turn cold.

After Slughorn had seen all the potions he addressed the entire class. "Since we still have some time left, I'm going to ask you all questions, just to get your brains back into the mindset of potion making. Now, where is the best place to collect Morle Roots?"

Two hands went up into the air, Hermione's and Tom Riddle's.

Slughorn grinned. "This is a pleasant surprise, Tom rarely has any competition." Riddle's eyes darkened when Slughorn referred to Hermione as competition.

Slughorn called on her and Hermione responded, "Most people believe that Morle Roots are best when fresh and therefore should be taken from the bottom of large lakes where they manifest like alge. However, the strength of the plant is intensified if the roots dry out naturally. Seeing as they grow on the bottom of various bodies of water, the best place to gather Morle Roots is in dried up ponds and lakes. Not only does having the Root dried out intensify the magical properties, it allows the root to substitute for beeswax in any potion, expanding its possible uses. However, if the plant is being collected for any type of poison, the Morle Roots must not be allowed to dry since that kills all bacteria that would cause the potion to have its poisonous affect."

The class was very surprised by her miniature lecture. The Gryffindors grinned, obviously dreaming about winning the house cup because of all the points that Hermione earned for them.

Slughorn, who had seen his fair share of prodigies, seemed less dazed then the rest of the class and was able to prevent his jaw from hanging open.

"Ms. Dumbledore, I can see that you won't have any trouble staying in this class. Another twenty points to Gryffindor for Ms. Dumbledore's text book worthy answer."

Hermione smiled again.

After Slughorn asked another question, the same two hands shot in the air. The potions professor grinned. "Let's see if you can do it again, Ms. Dumbledore."

Hermione smiled slightly and listed all the uses of Dragon's Blood, giving additional information after every use. Much to every Gryffindors delight, Hermione earned her house even more points, securing their lead momentarily.

Slughorn beamed at Hermione, and asked a third question. Again, Riddle's and Hermione's hands both went up. Tom Riddle had a set look of determination on his face, eager to maintain his position as star pupil.

Slughorn kept smiling. Addressing Hermione, he said, "Ms. Dumbledore, I think it's best if we let Tom get a few words in. Mr. Riddle?" Slughorn motioned for him to speak.

A murderous look passed on the future Dark Lord's face, he was never one to back down from a challenge and Hermione Dumbledore was the ruler of all obstacles.

Tom Riddle made a silent vow to himself. He would best this new girl using whatever it took. No one could stop him or get in the way of his destiny. Not even a brilliant witch like her.

A secretive smile came up on his face, unseen by all except the person who was currently holding his thoughts, Hermione.

Having a strong guess of where his thoughts were, Hermione shivered. Not wanting to draw any more attention from Tom Riddle, Hermione swept her hair to the right side of her face, creating a veil between them. She knew it was a foolish thing to do. Something as weak as hair could not stop the darkest wizard of all time. The false hope kept the fear at bay, though, even if only for a few moments.

Just then, thought hit Hermione like a wrecking ball. _Would I be able to do it? _she asked herself. _Could I really stand up to someone with so much power? No one is able to do it in sixty years? There's no way that I would succeed._

She shook her head to clear those thoughts and set her mouth in a determined line.

_Doesn't matter, _she said silently. _If I can change it, I will. I'll do whatever it takes. I'll bring down Lord Voldemort._

A/N: sooo...what did ya think? I kind of liked the ending, with the two deciding to bring the other one down. Not a very interesting chapter but it's necessary to have a few like these to lead up to the good stuff.

review?


	5. Unforgiven

There was silence in the room for the next ten minutes. I could see everyone's thoughts written on their faces.

_Is this a joke? It can't be true. How could Hermione fall in love with someone like that? Maybe he tricked her. It's because of Hermione that this war is going on? How could it happen? How could she do this?_

Seeing their pitying and accusing faces made me feel endlessly guilty. I was the cause of everything.

I could not help but wonder what would have happened if I had never gone to the past. Maybe things would have been exactly the same. Maybe it was Tom's destiny to become Lord Voldemort.

I shook my head to clear those thoughts. Now was not the time to be thinking about the way that Tom Riddle used to be. The man I knew lived sixty years ago, by now the real Tom Riddle was probably dead. Held in captivity inside Voldemort.

Without warning, I stood up and walked out of the room. I could not deal with them right now. Too much was going on.

The common room was empty when I got there and I collapsed on the couch. I closed my eyes and took deep breaths, telling myself that everything would work out.

I heard the common room door open. I felt someone sit next to me and I opened my eyes to see that it was Neville.

"Hey Hermione," he said nervously.

"Hi Neville," I replied. "How have you been?"

He shrugged. "Alright, I guess. Everyone really missed you though," Neville paused. "What was V-Voldemort like?"

I smiled sadly. "When I first met him, he was completely cruel and heartless. Slowly he changed and became the man I fell in love with. He was handsome, charming, smart, sweet, loyal, and he always thought of me first. He was...perfect. Before I left he was on his way to becoming Minister of Magic. I made him care about the world. But I guess none of that really matters now."

"I'm sorry Hermione." My head snapped up and I saw Ginny and Harry standing there, obviously they had heard my description.

Harry and Ginny both looked like they were trying their hardest to understand and be supportive. I smiled at them and fiddled unconsciously with my necklace, something that had been a gift from Tom. It was a silver locket with two emeralds and a ruby attached. If you opened it, you would see that the inside of it was engraved. It was a simple message, all it said was 'forever.'

The locket was not the only thing on the necklace. A ring was also hung on it.

My thoughts snapped back to the room and I could not help but notice that Ron was not there with them.

"Ron?" I asked. All of my friends understood the meaning of my question.

Ginny and Harry exchanged glances. "He's not exactly as forgiving as us."

"It's alright," I told them. "I didn't even expect you guys to understand."

Both of them looked surprise. "You didn't?" Harry asked. "Why not?"

I gave Harry a look that clearly suggested I thought he was insane. "What do you mean 'why not?' I was in love with future dark lord. I knew what he would become and I couldn't stop it. He probably wouldn't even remember. It was a long time ago, for him at least."

Ginny shrugged at my response. "Hermione, you are the most forgiving person I know. You're also the most determined. I have no doubt that you tried your hardest to stop him from becoming Voldemort. In the process, you fell in love with the man you tried to change. No one can blame you for that."

I shook my head. "But it was _Voldemort_. I already knew him as the darkest wizard of all time. I made friends that I knew he would end up killing but I still fell in love with him."

"You're a good person, Hermione," Harry said. "You did everything you could, no one can doubt that."

I smiled at my friends. After hugging each of them, I went upstairs and fell asleep, my dreams plagued with the face I could not save.

The situation with Ron did not get any better. I decided that giving him space was the best way to let him deal with everything.

He just ignored me but I was used to it. The two of us were constantly fighting. It still hurt though. I had missed Ron just as much as I had missed everyone else and I could not even talk to him.

About a week after I told everyone, Ron and I had our biggest fight yet.

It was during Transfiguration class and we were supposed to be transfiguring flies into canaries. McGonagall told everyone to come up to get their fly. Ron went up before I did and I was called after him.

When we passed each other, Ron banged his shoulder into mine.

I blew up. "What is your problem?" I asked angrily.

"You," he said. "How could you do it Hermione? Out of all people, you just had to fall in love with him."

"It's not like I planned it, Ronald. I didn't _ask_ to be sent into the past. I didn't _want_ to fall in love with Tom fucking Riddle. But as much as I tried to stop it. It happened," I yelled back.

We were full out glaring at each other. Much to everyone's surprise, McGonagall seemed unfazed by our argument. Being one of the few who knew the entire story, she must have realized that this had to happen sooner or later and it probably would be best to have a teacher there, in case things got out of hand.

"You have to be kidding, Hermione. There is no way that everything is true. Are we really supposed to believe that you both fell in love and that he changed? Cause there is no way in hell I'm believing that."

"You are so full of shit, Ron," I yelled, angrier then I had ever been. "Yes, you _are_ supposed to believe it because that's what happened. I'm sorry for trying to make everyone's life better. I'm sorry that I ended up causing all this in the process. At least I did something."

Ron was turning beet red by this point. "Yeah? Well you should be sorry. It's because of you that so many people are dead right now."

"I know!" I screamed back. My voice became softer as I continued to speak. "I know. I know it's my fault, and I have to live with that for the rest of my life." I looked up to meet Ron's eyes. His expression softened a little but he was still angry at me. "I don't expect you to forgive me Ron, I only wanted you to understand how hard I'm trying to make up for everything that I caused. I'm training people to kill the man I fell in love with. I was the only person he ever trusted and now I'm betraying him by telling people his secrets, all the while planning his fall." I laughed humorlessly. "By now he's probably forgotten who I am. It may have been sixty years ago for him, but it was only a week ago for me. Why can't you at least understand that?"

"Because, Hermione, you chose the darkest wizard of all time over us," Ron replied.

I gave him a disbelieving look. "How can you say that Ron? How is that I picked Voldemort over you? Please, enlighten me."

"Everyone else may be blind to it, but I'm not. You got that necklace while you were in the past, and there's an engagement ring hung on it. I forgive you for falling in love with him, but I don't forgive you for that.

I heard gasps and whispers go through the room.

I looked out the window as I talked. "I hadn't agreed to marry him, Ron. Yes, he asked me to marry him, but I refused." I turned back to look at him. "Because of you. And Harry and Ginny and all our other friends here. I knew what he could become and I didn't think I could stay with him knowing that."

"Then why do you have the ring?" Ron asked, still skeptical.

"Because he asked me to reconsider and said to keep it," Ron let out a breath and my anger intensified.

"But you know what, Ron? Before I was thrown back into this time, I had decided to say yes. For the same reason I was going to say no - because of everyone here. I would have been happy with him and I would have saved the future. If I hadn't left, Tom would never have become Voldemort and that is what I wanted, more than anything."

There was silence in the room.

I waved my wand and one of the flies turned into a beautiful yellow canary. With out another word, I walked out of the room and slammed the door behind me.

A/N: I have nothing to say. I hoped you guys liked it.

review please


	6. Third Interlude

Slightly Under Four Months Earlier

Hermione and Tom were in Advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts class and were paired up as partners, something that happened a lot since their intelligence was equally matched.

"No, are you an idiot?" Hermione shot back.

Hermione and Tom Riddle were not getting along. They competed constantly and never stopped fighting.

They were currently assigned to complete a list of sinarios with the best possible ways of dealing with them.

Riddle glared. "Well, if you're so smart, why don't you come up with a better solution."

Hermione rolled her eyes and said, "Fine. Instead of using the Incinierat Potion against inferi, you should simply use a spell that would surround them in flames, since they fear fire over everything else and being burned is the only way to stop them."

"Hmph," Riddle grunted. "I still think you're wrong. By throwing the Incinierat Potion on them, it would directly cause them to catch flames, thus killing them more quickly and allowing you to deal with the others."

"Yes, but this way you can surround multiple inferi with the flames and eliminate a much greater number at the same time. When they are simply lit on fire, inferi become terrified and immeidately start searching for some water or sand to put out the fire, but when you surround them, they panic and become useless."

"Ten points to Gryffindor for Ms. Granger's excellent response to the sixth question."

Hermione and Tom looked up startled. Sometime during their heated debate, the class had stopped talking to listen and the teacher, Professor Trisal, had come up behind them.

Hermione smiled and thanked the professor, with glares from Riddle.

This sinario happened often, although, sometimes Hermione won their miniature battle and sometimes Riddle won. Much to both of their displeasure, they were completely evenly matched and neither could completely shut the other out.

Three and a Half Months Earlier

Hermione sighed. she was currently sitting by the lake on a saturday morning. It was a beautiful day, one you would expect to find in April as suppose to the middle of September.

_I want to go home, _Hermione thought. _I just want to see Harry and Ron and Ginny and everyone else again. I miss them. I should be in my time preparing for the war, instead, I'm stuck going to _school_ with _Voldemort_. I don't think there is anything more far-fetched then that. _Hermione shook her head at that thought.

Hermione leaned back on her hands. _I wonder what they're doing right now. Harry adn Ron are probably playing quidditch, practicing to b eat Slytherin in the house cup._

Hermione smiled as she thought of _her_ Hogwarts, one that would not happen for sixty years. She closed her eyes and turned her face to the sun, smiling contentedly.

Unbeknown to Hermione, Tom Riddle had woken up early and was circling the lake, thinking. He had been walking for only ten minutes before he spotted the focus of his thoughts, Hermione.

Tom was infuriated with her. Everything had been perfect for him before she came. In the half-month that she had been here, she had humiliated and challenged him, something that had never happened before since his second year at Hogwarts.

He shuddered at the memory of his first year, when he was a complete out cast and was ignored.

He shook his head, shaking away those thoughts, it did not matter now. He had proved them wrong, he was not nothing like they had said.

Tom's thoughts turned back to Hermione. How could anyone be so...inhuman? She was everything he wanted to be, as much as he hated to admit it. She was brilliant, clever, brave, charismatic ... she was perfect, and he could not stand it.

And worst of all, she did it all so effortlessly. _How,_ Tom thought, _can anyone be all that with out even trying? How come she can do it and I can't?_

It was then that Tom noticed the look on her face. She was smiling, it was a small contented smile that was also a little sad and held longing. Her eyes were closed and her face seemed to glow in the sun.

Tom hated to admit it, and fought against it, but he could not help but to think that she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

It was very small, but that moment marked the beginning of change for Hermione and Tom.

A/N: What did everyone think? I know it was short but I hope to be updating soon. Do you guys have anything that you want to happen? Any requests or anything like that? I feel like I should ask instead of just writing the whole story.

review?


	7. Empty

"Will you just listen to me?" I practically yelled. "I understand that you are the potions master but trust me about this one thing!"

Everyone stared at me and I immediately felt embarrassed. My face turned red as I muttered an apology, "Sorry about that professor."

Snape just glared at me and turned to do what I asked. I was teaching them some things that Tom had discovered and only shared with me. Right now, I was teaching them a potion Tom had made that would regenerate the user's power if it had been drained, something that would be very useful in a battle.

Snape had argued about the potion instructions, saying that if he added something in, the potion would explode. I knew for a fact that it would not though, and when he did not follow the instructions like I had told him, I walked over to his cauldron and added it myself.

I saw Snape's eyes widen and he tried to stop me, but I had already added it in.

Instead of blowing up like he had predicted, the potion turned a vibrant orange, just as I said it would.

When Snape realized what had happened, he was astonished. I shook my head. "As I told you before, adding the butterfly wings as the first step, cancels out the reaction that illious has to mattien roots."

Snape did not respond, not knowing what to say since he had never been outsmarted in a potion before. I did not think it was that big a deal, the potion that made him be wrong was invented by the man who was threatening to take over the world right now. Something would be wrong if a potions professor could make a better potion than Voldemort.

I looked over to see Harry, Ginny and Neville grinning at each other. It was not every day that they saw their least favorite teacher be made a fool of. I noticed that Ron was trying hard to keep a smile from gracing his lips. It had been a two weeks since our fight in transfiguration and over the past few days Ron had been nicer to me, starting to forgive me.

I could not bring myself to feel happy though.

I could always hear Tom's voice in the back of my head, asking me how I could betray him this way. I wanted to call back, to tell him that I had to. I wanted to yell at him and ask him why he had broken his promise to me. I wanted to know how he could go from being so amazing, to Voldemort.

I tried my best not to let it show, though. I would always smile and pretend to be happy even though I just wanted to give up and cry. After I had gotten back to this time, I promised myself that I make up for causing this war.

I did not want to face it, but some part of me knew that I could not continue on this way. My behavior was self-destructive, at best. I was slowly slipping into a depression and I felt empty.

After a while, I discontinued my happy facade. I just could not keep it up, it was too exhausting and I just wanted to show how I really felt.

I started eating and sleeping less. When I was not in class or training people, I spent all my time in the library. Sometimes I was doing homework, sometimes extra school work, and sometimes, I just sat in one of the window seats, doing nothing. On those days, I did not think. I sat there, looking out at the grounds, with my mind completely empty.

I saw the worry on my friends faces. Each of them handled it differently though. Harry would always ask if I was okay, reassuring me that he was there for me. Ginny tried to make me feel like everything was normal. She tried to cheer me up by showing me that everything could be normal again. Ron stopped being mad at me. He would walk with me to class, eat with me at lunch, and whenever he thought I needed it, he would smile.

Everyone else avoided me. Whispers followed me wherever I went, though I had no idea if the rumors about me were completely fake or the truth.

The real cause of my depression, though, was that I missed Tom. I felt completely betrayed because Tom had promised me that he had changed. He told me that he would never want to become Voldemort again. But he must have been lying.

While I was in my depression, the death eaters were growing stronger and stronger. Muggle attacks were becoming more and more frequent, as were murders and kidnappings.

People were becoming even more afraid and some of them were starting to doubt whether he could be defeated.

Yes, the order was getting stronger too. But we could not compare with Voldemort's forces. The number of people who wanted power and were afraid, was far greater than those who were brave enough to fight against the darkest wizard of all time.

By february, I expanded the group I trained so that anyone the order was a hundred percent sure would never betray us, was being taught by me.

This just furthered my depression and it took the extreme to pull me out of it.

On february fourteenth, Valentine's Day, the feast was interrupted when the double doors swung open to reveal a group of three people. In the doorway was Arthur Weasley and Kingsley Shacklebolt carrying an unconscious figure. All three were bloodied and showing signs of extreme fatigue.

Kingsley's voice echoed through out the silence. "At three o' clock today, the ministry was overrun. Voldemort is now in control of the wizarding world."

It was then that I felt emotion for the first time in too long. When I heard that announcement, the emptiness was filled up with anger. I was done just training people to fight, I was going to ensure that we would win, whatever the cost.

A small voice inside me called out when I made this decision. As much as I had tried to suppress it, it was always there. It was the side of me that still loved Tom, the part of me that always would.

I could not think of my feelings now though, at that moment, it hit me full on what my world had come to. I knew that I had to do whatever was possible to stop him, whatever was possible to save the world.

A/N: Not the best of chapters but it will have to do. I thought it was time for Voldemort to do something in the present so here it is.

review?


	8. Fourth Interlude

Three and a Quarter Months Earlier

Hermione walked out of Advanced Arithmacy laughing with Henry and Michael. They were half way between the common room and the class room when Hermione realized that she had forgotten her favorite quill.

She stopped suddenly, earning confused glances from her two friends. "What's up Mione?" Henry asked.

Hermione shook her head. "Nothing. I just forgot my quill, I'll catch up with you guys later, okay?"

They said their quick good byes and Hermione hurried back down the hall.

When she reached the class room, she saw Tom Riddle leaning against the wall next to the door, with his arms crossed. She sighed and headed in that direction, hoping he would not instigate a fight.

Much to her surprise he stayed silent. All he did was watch her as she walked by intently, making Hermione feel self-concious and nervous. She hastened her pace slightly and entered the classroom. She looked around for five minutes or so and gave up, deciding that another student must have taken it.

Slightly annoyed, Hermione headed back out into the hall and purposefully ignored Riddle. When she was a few steps away from him, she heard Riddle call out, "Looking for this?"

She turned back to see him holding out her quill, his eyebrows raised.

Hermione huffed and stomped back to him. "You couldn't have told me _before_ I searched the entire classroom?"

He just shrugged. "Most people say thank you when I return something they lost."

Hermione glared at him and muttered darkly, "Fine. Thanks a lot, Riddle."

She turned and walked away quickly, feeling a pair of eyes staring into her back until she turned the corner. She let out a breath she did no even realize she was holding. He sometimes had that effect on her, when she was near him her breaths became shallower and her head became slightly light headed, or as light headed as Hermione Granger can get.

She shook her head, Riddle had been acting weird for the past week. Their fighting died down and whenever they met, Riddle would just stare at her as if he were deep in thought and she was his muse. Hermione almost missed the fighting, she knew how to deal with an angry Tom Riddle, this new contemplative one was a whole other story.

The thing that really threw Hermione off was that it was not supposed to be that way. They were supposed to be fighting constantly as bitter enemies but suddenly Riddle had switched the game to one where Hermione did not know the rules.

She would learn them though. She would find out what he was playing at and beat him at his game. She would have to.

The next day Hermione was walking out of the great hall early, having finished dinner a few minutes ago. She was sauntering down the hall arm-in-arm with Gina when she spotted Riddle. He was in an identical position to the one she had seem him in yesterday, leaning against the wall and arms crossed.

He straightened slightly when he spotted them and said, "Dumbledore, a word please?"

Hermione and Gina exchanged looks. What did he want now? Not knowing what to do, Gina just stood there. Hermione turned to her friend and said, "I'll meet you in the common room."

"Alright, Mione," Gina said. "But if you're not up there in half an hour, I'm sending out a search party to make sure you're still alive."

Hermione laughed and replied, "Alright Gina, don't worry too much though. See you later."

Gina waved and walked off and Hermione turned back to Riddle, eyebrows raised.

Riddle, apparently not feeling any need to be tactful, said calmly, "Go with me to Hogsmede." It was more of an order and Hermione was very taken aback.

"Excuse me?" she asked, not thinking she had heard right.

Riddle rolled his eyes. "Stop being daft, you heard me. Go with me to Hogsmede."

"What?" Hermione said, blinking. "Are you asking me on a date?"

Riddle fought the urge to blush and kept his calm exterior. "Call it what you want." Hermione could do nothing but stand there and stare at him. Was he serious? Feeling the need to prompt an answer out of her, Riddle asked again, "Well, are you coming or not?"

Hermione snapped out of her confused trance and asked, "Did you get hit with a confundus charm or something?"

Riddle cocked his head to the side and said, "Oh please, like I wouldn't be able to block a simple spell like that."

"So, you're serious?" Hermione asked. "You're actually and seriously asking me out?"

Riddle was getting annoyed. He rolled his eyes and said, "Do you need me to repeat it for a third time? Go with me to Hogsmede."

Hermione shook her head, still doubtful. "Sorry Riddle, but no thanks."

His face immediately changed from calm, collected and slightly indifferent to disbelief. He could not believe that she had just turned him down. Wasn't he supposed to be irresistible to girls? They were always fawning over him, so why did she say no?

Hermione felt extremely uncomfortable. Not wanting to stay in the awkward environment anymore, Hermione said, "Um, bye Riddle. See you in class."

There was no response. All he was capable of doing was staring at her as if she had transformed into a cross between the devil and Minnie Mouse.

Hermione turned around and quickly started walking back to the common room. By the time she entered the portrait hole, her face still held disbelief and she was shaking her head.

Gina was made even more curious when she saw Hermione's expression. She walked over to her friend and asked, "So, what happened?"

Hermione looked up, realizing that she was being spoken to and, blinking rapidly, asked, "What?"

Gina rolled her eyes. "What did he want?"

Hermione shook her head once more, "I think, _think_, he just asked me out."

Gina squealed and started jumping up and down. "Are you serious? How did he ask? Did you say yes? Did he give you flowers? Do you like him? Do you think he likes yo-"

"Gina, slow down," Hermione said, cutting off her friend. "One question at a time."

"How did he ask?" she said, ready to drink in everything I said.

Hermione's eyebrows furrowed. "He didn't really ask. He just said, 'go to Hogsmede with me.'"

Gina seemed to contemplate this for a moment before moving on. "Do you think he likes you.

Hermione shrugged. "I don't see how he could. All we do is fight."

Gina rolled her eyes. "Exactly. He must think there's this heat between you guys. And he obviously likes you, or else he would not have asked you out."

Hermione, not knowing what else to do, shrugged. "What did you say?" Gina asked.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "What do you think I said? No, of course."

Gina sighed. "Hermione, Hermione, Hermione," she said in a disapproving voice. "How could you say no to someone like him?"

"He is a self centered prick who thinks he can control everyone and thinks that he is better, smarter and better looking than everyone else," the response was automatic.

Gina smiled, thinking that her friend was just avoiding her feelings. "He doesn't just _think_ he's the best looking," she said with a dreamy look on her face. "He _is_ the best looking. If he had asked me out I would have said yes in a heart beat. Have you seen him shirtless?"

Hermione stared at her friend. "Have _you_?" she asked in response.

Gina shook her head sorrowfully. "No, I can only imagine what his abs must be like. I bet he has a six pack."

Hermione shuddered, disgusted by her friend's day dreaming. Not wanting to stick around and be scolded for turning the future Dark Lord down, Hermione excused herself and went to bed.

Throughout the following day, Hermione received dark looks from the entire female population of Hogwarts. Even a few first years were whispering about her and shooting her nasty looks. Students at Hogwarts had a terrible tendency to be jealous and Hermione was on the receiving end of this legendary emotion.

Hermione went to History of Magic, her second class of the day, and grudgingly walked to her assigned seat next to Riddle. She sat down beside him and sighed.

He turned to look at her and she noticed that the majority of the occupants of the room were staring at the two wondering what would happen.

"I hope you know that every girl in all of Hogwarts hates me," Hermione said. "A first year actually ran up to me and kicked me in the shin!"

Riddle laughed but stopped when he got a death glare from Hermione. "You could always make them hate you more if you said yes."

Hermione, with a startled expression, asked, "What?"

"I still want you to go with me to Hogsmede," Riddle said, his face entirely serious. Hermione shook her head and said, "Sorry Riddle, but my answer still stands, no thanks."

Whispers broke out into the room. Hermione was able to make out a hushed conversation between to girls behind her.

"Is she stupid?" one wanted to know. "I thought she was supposed to be the smartest witch in Hogwarts, but she just turned Tom Riddle down!"

"She must be," her friend replied. "Who would refuse someone like him. He's perfect."

The first one agreed wholeheartedly. "I know," she said, sighing. "If only he asked me on a date, there's no way I would say no."

Hermione stopped listening and sighed. She sat in silence, brooding. She was not one who liked to get all the attention, especially when it was negative.

A voice from her left broke her solitude, "Why do you smell like pumpkin juice?"

Hermione glared at Riddle and said, "A third year spilled it on me at breakfast."

Tom sniggered. "Maybe to stop all this you should just go out with me."

Hermione turned to look at him and said, "Look, Riddle. I'm sorry, but I'm _not_ going to go to Hogsmede with you."

As Hermione turned her attention back to the teacher she could have sworn she heard him mutter, "We'll see."

A/N: Like it? We have some romance going on -wiggles eyebrows- I don't know about you, but I liked this chapter. "Go to Hogsmede with me." way to be smooth, Riddle.

review?


	9. Missed

The next meeting I held was different then all the others. I was not going to simply advise people on what to do, I was going to ensure that we won, whatever the cost.

Usually I would start the time by having them practice spells he invented or teach them potions, but this lesson would be unique. I had asked the Room of Requirement to turn into a lecture hall of sorts. I could tell that everyone was curious, wondering what was going to happen. I just sat on the desk in the front, waiting for everyone to be quiet.

When silence filled up the room, I started. "What would you do if you find yourself fighting Voldemort?" I asked, addressing the entire group. The curiosity turned to confusion and they all exchanged glances that clearly questioned my sanity.

"What are you talking about Hermione?" Cho Chang asked. After graduating last year, she immediately joined the order, and much to everyone's surprise, she was a huge asset. "We won't be fighting Voldemort." She shifted her eyes to Harry and nervously added, "Well, most of us won't."

Making it seem as if I was humoring her, I asked, "And why is that?"

She seemed startled by this question and was obviously wondering if it was a trick question. Fidgeting slightly, she responded, "Well, Harry is the one who will fight him. He is destined to, after all. It's what the prophecy said."

Keeping up my curious air, I asked, "So, the prophecy said that Harry would be the only one to fight Voldemort?"

Cho, not used to being under such scrutiny, shrank in her chair a little as she answered. "Well, no I guess. It said that he would be the one to kill him though."

I shook my head slightly. "I would like to clarify something for all of you," I said, talking to the entire group. "If anyone thinks that Voldemort is just going to show up, go directly for Harry and then they fight, you are extremely mistaken. Most likely, Voldemort will be somewhere in the group of oncoming death eaters and will kill anyone who somehow gets in his way. So please, would anyone like to answer my question? How would you go about fighting Voldemort?"

There was silent in the room and I sighed when no one talked or opened their mouths. "Does anyone have any idea?" I asked. There was a pregnant pause and I was about to answer it for them when, much to everyone's surprise, Luna Lovegood raised her hand. My eyebrows raised slightly and I called on the sixth year girl. "Yes, Luna?"

With the dreamy expression on her face, she said, "Well, it's quite obvious, isn't it? You surround him and whoever is behind him unleashes a Snuflebui on him."

Hermione sighed inwardly, her hope of someone answering the question seriously diminished in an instant. "Well, Luna is partially right. If it can be avoided, do not fight him alone. It is definitely best to face him with some allies but that is possible only under the best of circumstances. But does anyone, _anyone_, have an idea of how they would fight him alone."

There was silence in the room again and I refrained from banging my head on the wall closest to me. Slightly down hearted, I said, "Always aim for his right shoulder." There were some confused glances around the room and I continued talking. "He got injured in his right shoulder and the muscle there was weakened. It is an injury that never fully recovers so he is a fraction slower with reacting. I should know," I added. "I gave him the wound myself."

The ever present silence seemed to somehow deepen after I had said this. I shook my head to clear away memories, now was not a time to get sentimental. "I want everyone to practice now aiming for their opponent's right shoulder. Whoever does not have a partner will be with me."

Everyone made their groups and Harry volunteered to be my partner. He did not get into the ready stance as I had expected and instead started talking to me.

"How are you, Mione?" he asked.

I was startled by the question and thrown off. What would make him ask this now? I knew the answer but I did not want to think of it. "I'm fine Harry." He did not believe me, that much was obvious. "No, really. I am fine." He still looked skeptical and I sighed. "Alright, maybe I'm not. But I am doing the best I can."

He nodded, accepting that answer. "Hermione," he started. "How many of these little weaknesses does Voldemort have?"

I looked at the floor. "Very few," I responded. "Most of them I want to tell you in private, would that be alright Harry?" He nodded and we began dueling. Throwing curses back and forth.

The next hour was spent watching people fly around, administering healing potions and spells, defending myself against spells and helping people hone there skills. I knew that many of them were not happy with the idea of me, a seventeen year old girl, bossing a bunch of adults around. But they had to deal with it because at that moment, I was all the advantage they had over Voldemort and they would have to deal with it.

----------------------------------

The next day during a free period, Harry and I found an abandoned classroom where I would tell him everything else I knew. After silencing the room and clearing a space, I turned to Harry and said, "Not everything of what I know will still be affective today. It was a long time ago and by now, Voldemort has probably fixed most of the problems that he had."

Harry nodded. "I know, but if even one of them still works, then it will give me that much of an advantage." I nodded in return, agreeing with him. We ended up staying there all throughout lunch practicing and when we finished all that we could, we just stood there, each reflecting on our own thoughts.

"I'm sorry you have to do this Mione," Harry said, breaking the silence. He was looking at me with assessing green eyes and I realized that he was thinking about me, well, _worrying_ about me.

Deciding to be completely honest, I replied, "Me too Harry, but he isn't the man I knew before. Not anymore, he's changed too much." I was convincing myself just as much as I was trying to convince Harry. Neither one of us bought it though.

After we had finished and said good bye, I did the thing that no one ever thought that I would do. I, Hermione Granger, did the unthinkable and skipped class. Instead of heading down the stairs to the dark potions dungeons, I turned the opposite way and headed for my sanctuary, the library.

Much to my delight, Madame Pince was not there and I was able to go free without questioning. I walked over to a section that held the kind of book I was looking for and found the right one. It was a Hogwarts yearbook from sixty years ago. I knew that I would not be included since I disappeared halfway through the year, but I wanted to see some of the faces again.

I opened it to the individual pictures and looked at the seventh year Gryffindors. I saw them all. Will, Richard, Michael, Henry and Gina were all there, smiling up at me. I smiled sadly at the memory of them and turned the page. Next came Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, I was not too interested in those and I just scanned the page.

Then came Slytherin and my eyes immediately found the picture I was looking for. It was Tom. The wonderful Tom that I knew and loved. The Tom that I would never see again. I turned the page once more, expecting to see group photos. Instead, much to my surprise, the entire page was filled with three pictures. One was of Michael, Henry, Will, Richard, Gina and I having a snowball fight. It started with us laughing together and throwing snowballs around. Then Richard and Will exchanged evil glances and snuck up, undetected, behind me. Simultaneously, they picked me up and threw me into a huge pile of snow. Everyone laughed even harder and then the cycle repeated.

The next one was a simple picture of me. It showed me at a table doing my homework and then looking up as if someone had called me. Then I smiled and waved at the camera. The cycle repeated.

The last one made my breath catch in my throat and I felt tears come into my eyes. It was of me and Tom. I could tell that neither of us knew that the photo was being taken since we were so wrapped up in what we were doing. We were sitting on a window-seat bench in the library, both of us with a book in our hands. Tom was sitting regularly and I was leaning on his chest, legs laying on the cushion of the bench. Tom turned his attention from the book to me and smiled down at me, I kept on reading though, unaware of his attention. He whispered something to me and I looked up at him. I smiled, grinned actually, and gave him a kiss on the lips. I pulled back and said something to him in return. He then kissed my forehead and we both went back to reading.

There were captions underneath all of the pictures also. The first one read,

_She was loved by us and she always will be. No one will forget Hermione's kindness and love, along with her friendship that was unmatched by anyone else's._

The second one was more platonic.

_Hermione Dumbledore, an outstanding student, a role model for her peers and one of the best people that Hogwarts have ever seen._

I was unsure of what the third one would say and, slightly timidly, I looked at it and read,

_The love she had was unmatchable. No one will ever compare._

I then realized that this was a tribute to me. I felt touched that it was put together and then realized that there was a heading at the very top.

**Hermione Dumbledore**

**Transfered to Hogwarts in 1946, disappeared that same Christmas**

**She will be missed**

A/N: What did everyone think? I don't find these ones as interesting as the chapters in the past, but you have to have both.

review?


	10. Fifth Interlude

Two and Three Quarter Months Earlier

Hermione could tell, Tom Riddle was beyond angry. For the past half-month, he had remained persistent and asked Hermione out daily. It got to the point where Hermione stopped being polite and would answer with a simple, "No thanks."

Hermione often wondered how Riddle could be so dense. He was _supposed_ to be the smartest wizard in Hogwarts, but he would not let go. Much to Hermione's relief, the female population of Hogwarts went back to treating her normally. After her tenth refusal of their heart throb, they stopped seeing her as a threat.

Though Hermione would never admit it, there was something there. It was small at first and easily ignored, her heart beating faster, noticing how his eyes smoldered when he looked at her ... definitely ignored easily. She was able to shake her head and clear her mind of these thoughts.

And then he turned the charm up.

The first time Hermione experienced it was when she returned to her dorm after studying in the library. She entered the common room and was ambushed by her room mates.

"You are so lucky Hermione!" gushed Harriet, a pretty, however clueless, seventh year.

Everyone else agreed. "I wish I was you!"

"Are you going to respond?"

"I don't know how you could say no after this!"

"Do you think he's in love with you?"

"Of course he's in love with her, when else has he shown so much interest in a girl?"

"I bet they'll go to the Holiday Ball together!"

"What are you talking about?" Hermione said loudly, nearly shouting to be heard over all the noise the other girls were making. Realization dawned upon one of them and she smacked herself on the head.

"You haven't seen them yet!" she cried out. In a sudden movement, she started to drag Hermione up the stairs. Hermione, thinking her room mates had all gone insane, started struggling.

She heard sniggers to her right and saw that Will and Henry were there, laughing at her. She glared at them and said, "Want to save me?" They both just smiled evilly and did not respond. When more girls went to help force Hermione to go upstairs she looked back at her two friends and yelled, "When I escape from them, you are dead!"

No one paid attention to Hermione though, They were too absorbed in making her see whatever it was that had caused such a commotion.

Hermione gave in and let the giddy girls pull her upstairs. She opened the door to her room, after being instructed to do so, and gasped at the sight before her.

All around the room were bouquets filled with the deepest red carnations she had ever seen. All were in full bloom and all were gorgeous. There was a message hanging in mid air written in gold, elegant script.

_Hermione, what can I do to get you to say 'yes?'_

Hermione shook her head, unable to move her feet. "He didn't," Hermione muttered to herself, disbelieving.

She fought against it, and then managed to repress it, but Hermione was slightly touched by Riddle.

After that, Riddle never held back in trying to get her to go on a date with him. He was determined and it seemed as if nothing could get in his way, he would make sure that Hermione would be his. He sent flowers, presents, candy, cards and everything else he could think of to get her to say yes. She was just as stubborn as he was, though. Each time Hermione refused him and each time he just vowed to try harder.

Never would she admit it, but Hermione was slightly, only slightly of course, tempted to say yes. When this temptation came over her, she would remind herself that it was Voldemort that she was dealing with. _Voldemort_. She told herself constantly that he was responsible for so many deaths and that he would go on to ruin countless lives.

But as hard as she tried, she could not escape that temptation.

During a free period, Hermione decided that she wanted to spend some time alone and went to walk along the lake. This was something that she had taken to doing lately. Whenever had the time, she would just walk and think.

She was halfway around the lake when she heard someone call out to her, "Dumbledore!"

She recognized the voice and continued to walk, hoping that he would not ask the same question again. She could resist for only so long.

"Dumbledore," the voice caught up to her and Hermione reluctantly turned and met the eyes of Tom Riddle.

"Why won't you go on a date with me?" he asked. Hermione was taken aback, not expecting this question. He did not give her the opportunity to answer though, and kept talking. "I've tried everything. Flowers, poems, presents, surprises, none of it is good enough and you refuse every time. Tell me why."

Hermione shook her head. "You don't want to know," she responded.

Riddle rolled his eyes. "No, I really do. Tell me why you are so adamant about not spending time with me. Tell me why you keep avoiding me. Tell me why you ignore your own feelings."

Hermione glared at him. "What feelings, Riddle? There are _no_ feelings there, at least, not the ones you seem to think are."

He shook his head. "You and I both know that's a lie. But _why_? Why are you so determined to not let anything happen?"

"How can you be so sure that something should happen?" Hermione responded, answering with a question.

Riddle was becoming angry. "You know it's there. Just as much as I do. I just don't know why the hell you won't admit it!"

"You want to know why?" Hermione shouted, her anger over flowing. "Because of you. I _know_ the things you've done and I _know_ who you want to be. It's something that I never want to be a part of."

"You don't know anything about me!" He yelled back, matching her anger and intensity. "And even if you do, you can't possibly understand the reasons and what I've lived through."

"No, I can't. But even if I wanted to, you won't let anyone get close enough to tell them. You'll keep it all to yourself and plunge farther into hatred, driven by something that I will never know because you won't _let_ me know."

Riddle's eyes flashed. "You would never understand. Not everyone is as blessed as you are, Dumbledore."

Hermione laughed humorlessly before saying, "You think you know everything, Riddle. You think that you have me all figured out. Guess what, everything you know about me is a lie. My name isn't Dumbledore and I'm certainly not a pureblood."

He did not believe her. "Right, of course you're not. I'm not going to fall for that and tell you about me, so you can just forget about it."

She shook her head. "Alright, believe what you want, Riddle. But keep in mind that what you want to believe is not always the truth."

Riddle snorted. "Right, coming from the girl who just lied to me. You may lie to other people but don't lie to yourself about your feelings."

"I'm not lying!" Herminoe yelled. "I don't want anything to do with you are with the Dark Ar-"

Hermione would have told him how she knew about his involvement with dark magic and then, she would have walked away had she got the chance. She was interrupted by Riddle grabbing her by the shoulders and pulling her into the most passionate kiss she had ever had. In that moment, all thoughts of walking away left her and she melted into the kiss, wrapping her arms around him and holding tight.

They pulled back panting.

"Somethings you just know, Hermione," Riddle said softly. Hermione's breath caught in her thought when he said her name. "And I know that we could be happy if you just said yes."

Hermione later credited it to the kiss, claiming that it had momentarily relieved her of her common sense, because the next words that came from her mouth were, "Alright, I'll go with you to Hogsmede."

Riddle did the unexpected. He picked her up and spun her around, grinning. He put her down and then kissed her once more, this time softly and tenderly. When he ended the contact and pulled back, he smiled at Hermione. The smile was genuinely happy and Hermione could not tear herself away from the look in his eyes. He had never looked better than when he smiled down at her and she was wrapped in his arms.

Unknowingly to the two of them, the moment she said yes, was the moment that his fate was sealed.

A/N: YAY! They're together! YAY!YAY!YAY!

review?


	11. Coming

I looked back through the window of the train to the castle that had been my home for years. Seven years of memories were housed by the legendary castle and I felt tears stinging my eyes. I wiped them away hurriedly and silently scolded myself. I was acting as if I would never see the place again.

I turned back to face the compartment I was sharing with Harry, Ron, Ginny and Neville. All of us, even Neville, were going to be staying at Headquarters to help prepare for the war.

It had gotten even worse over the past month and it eventually reached the point where Hogwarts needed to be evacuated. It had become a primary target for Voldemort and Dumbledore wanted all of the students as far away as possible to keep them safe. Ha, safe. The war had reached the point where no one was protected and even the twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes seemed heavy and burdened.

I knew that I would not be safe wherever I was. If Voldemort found out that I was alive then I would be as good as dead. Well, assuming that he would remember me. I shook my head. It was too painful to even think of the possibility that he did not even remember me, the girl that he loved so much that he became the monster that he was today.

I mentally started yelling at myself. I had internally promised that I would wipe Tom away from my thoughts. I knew that he was inhuman, I knew that he had killed more people then I have ever known, and I knew that he had tortured so many more. But I just could not accept it. _My_ Tom would never have done those things. He would have prevented them.

But my Tom was gone and a monster called Voldemort had taken his place.

----------------------------

Grimmauld Place was even gloomier and darker than I remembered. It seemed fitting though, matching my mood exactly.

It had been a few weeks since we had arrived and everything went as it was supposed to. We trained, planned battle formations, made strategies, and everyone attended the "Hermione Meetings," as they had been dubbed by Ron.

Everything was going as smooth as preparations of war were supposed to go and I could tell that the others were pleased about this. It seemed as if everyone was optimistic and believed that we really did have a chance at winning this war. I did not have the heart to bring down their cheery moods and by this point, I had lied to myself so much that I was starting to believe it myself. The thought of winning was euphoric and everyone was intoxicated at the thought.

The hope was like a drug, but no one realized that it could have any side affects.

The Order was over eager and although we should have known better, people were letting the thought of success go to their heads. And no one expected it, when we were betrayed.

It had happened so unexpectedly that no one even considered the possibility of such a thing happening. But it did and there was no way we could have prevented it.

It seemed to be a usual day. It was becoming spring time and the weather only added to people's good moods. It felt like the classic good day, with the sun shining and the birds singing. Everyone was unaware of the death eaters that were slowly and stealthily closing in on the house.

When they were fifty yards away the alarms went off and everyone was sent into a flurry of activity. The smiles were gone and everyone went straight into battle mode.

Precautions had been made in the possibility that Number Twelve Grimmauld Place was found out. The safest thing was to get out and get to a safe location. We were to do so by any means, the only thing that we could not do, was apparate.

I ran up to my room and waved my wand frantically, casting two spells. The first barricaded my door while the next made my belongings pack themselves. The urgency in voice as I cast the second spell made all my belongings shoot like bullets into an open trunk. Luckily, there was a fireplace in the room, that was already lit, and I grabbed some flu powder and threw it in.

The fire turned the emerald color and I rushed over to my belongings. I grabbed the trunk and dragged it as fast as I could toward the fire place. I could hear foot steps running in the halls and I knew that I would not be alone for much longer. I paused for a moment and listen, trying to determine whether it was a friend or enemy that was outside. Whether it was someone to help or someone to run from.

I heard an unfamiliar voice yell something, a spell, and there was the sound of an explosion against my door. My shield managed to hold but it would not for much longer.

With renewed strength, I heaved with everything I had and made it to the fireplace. I stepped in, towing my trunk behind me and shouted out, "The Burrow!"

The last view of the house I had as I was spinning was one of death eaters barging into my room and shouting in fury as I escaped.

The spinning continued and I floated by countless fireplaces. Then I was suddenly thrown to the ground and looked up into eight familiar faces. Mrs. Weasley, Ron, Harry, Ginny, Lupin, Kingsley, Fred and George had all gone to the same place that I had.

Mrs. Weasley immediately ran over to me and hugged me tightly. The others just smiled at me, obviously relieved that I was alright but still worried about the others.

I looked at my old defense against the dark arts teacher and asked, "How did they find us?"

He shook his head sadly. "A betrayal, we think."

I was dumbstruck. The Order had been betrayed. Who could have possibly done that?

My thoughts must have been written all over my face because Kingsley interrupted my thinking by saying, "We don't know who yet. And until we do, important meetings will be between only those who we know we can trust."

I found myself a couple of hours later, sitting around the Weasley kitchen with the other members of the Order who were fully trusted. They were Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Harry, Ron, Lupin, Tonks, Snape, McGonagall, Mad-Eye Moody, Kingsley and Dumbledore. I was honored to be held up in such high esteem along with these great witches and wizards. Despite the severity of the situation, I was deeply touched.

The same question came up and we were all expressing our thoughts. "Cho Chang?" wondered Ron.

I shook my head. "No, Cho was never the sort to do that. She hated Voldemort with everything she had. Remember how he killed her mother?"

Lupin nodded thoughtfully. "I agree. I do not think it was Ms. Chang." He stayed silent for a moment. "Could it have been Mundungus?"

"He was never the sort," said Mrs. Weasley surprisingly. Everyone was startled that she would be the one to defend him, seeing as they fought constantly and she seemed to hate him passionately. "He would steal and cheat but I just can't imagine him doing something that could get people _killed_."

"I'm not so sure," countered Snape, a deep scowl on his face. "He put himself above everyone else. Self-preservation mattered more then anything else. All it would take is a threat and we would betray his own mother."

Lupin nodded solemnly. "That could be true. We will keep him in mind."

The night continued in the same manner. We discussed everything from who we could trust to who we should watch more carefully. When we ended the meeting, everyone was in a grave mood and I wanted nothing more then to go upstairs and collapse on the bed I was to sleep in. I had every intention of doing so, but by the time I had laid down under the covers, I could not get calm enough to actually fall asleep.

My head was filled with so many thoughts that I could not even concentrate on one. They were all screaming at me, trying to be heard above the others and I shut my eyes and clutched my head. Everything was coming too fast. How was I supposed to handle everything? How could anyone deal with all of the madness that would not stop happening?

Finally, one thought won the internal battle-of-my-mind and it was the one that I wish would just stay quiet. It held so much agitation and fear.

It meant that people could die, friends and family could leave me forever. It meant that the end was near and it held the possibility that maybe, _maybe_, we would not win. Most of all, though I knew how selfish it was, I had the fear that I would see _him_ again. After so long...

But none of it could be avoided and the thought continued to scream at me until I was forced to acknowledge it. The war was coming, and it was coming soon.

A/N: meh. It was alright. It was very necessary though, I had to do something that would introduce the final battle. Which will be coming soon and you know what that means? THE REUNION! yay. After I write it all, this will probably be about fifteen or sixteen chapters. Not very many but, oh well. Quality over quantity.

review?


	12. Sixth Interlude

Two and One Half Months Earlier

Hermione was nervous. She was prepared to fight in battles and had stood beside Harry countless times, but nothing compared to this. This was terrifying, and something that she did not know how to fight.

It was her first date with Tom. Riddle. Voldemort. Hermione sighed, she did not even know what to call him. She did not even know _why_ she had agreed to go on this date. She knew what he would become, and still she could not resist saying yes. _Pathetic, _she thought.

Hermione was currently lying in bed. She had woken up long before her room mates would and she had been lying there, staring at the ceiling, for the past couple of hours. Hermione rolled over and tried once again to fall back to sleep.

Without warning, someone ripped aside the curtain around her bed and started screaming at her to wake up. Hermione shrieked and in her surprise, rolled off the bed. She looked up to find her room mates all grinning down on her. 

Hermione recognized the look in their eyes. "No. No way. Not a chan-"

She did not even get to finish her sentence when four other girls pounced on her. For the next hour, Hermione had her hair pulled and un-knotted, nails painted, clothes picked and her face smothered by make up. When they were done, Hermione saw that she did look quite pretty. She shook her head, it was not worth it for a first date.

Hermione glared at them, Gina in particular. "Traitor," she muttered under her breath.

Gina only grinned and shrugged in response. "When you two start popping out little geniuses you'll thank me."

Hermione shook her head and hit it repeatedly, wiping the image out of her head. With one last glare at her roommates, she walked out of the room and went to meet her date.

Hermione and Tom had agreed to join up at the giant clock. Hermione was almost out of the portrait hole when she heard someone shout, "You better keep that make up on, we're going to make sure that you do!"

Hermione shook her head and five minutes later, she opened the door to the clock tower and found Tom already inside waiting for her.

He smiled when he saw her and looked her up and down. "You look nice," he said in an approving tone.

Hermione scowled. "Not for long I won't, my roommates did it against my will."

Tom laughed. "Really? That doesn't sound very smart of them. You know that you could have easily fought them all off."

"Yeah well," Hermione said, shrugging. "I didn't feel like crippling my friends. It wouldn't have been a fair fight, even with four of them."

Tom smiled and replied, "You think you're kidding." The two started walking to the front doors and were both surprised when it was warm outside. It felt like a summer day instead of one in fall. Deciding to enjoy the nice weather, the two walked down to Hogsmede.

About half way there, Hermione looked around her cautiously and told Tom to stop walking. His eyes flashed and he looked around also, thinking that there was danger of some kind. Hermione took out her wand and pointed it at herself. In a second, the mounds of make up she was wearing disappeared and she looked like her old self again.

Tom let out a relieved breath. "I hope you know that you scared the life out of me."

"They said they would be watching me to make sure I kept it on," Hermione explained. "I had to make sure that they weren't looking."

Tom cocked his head to the side. "They could have easily used a disillusionment charm or something else," he pointed out.

"Gryffindors are known for their bravery, not their brains," Hermione replied, laughing.

Tom smiled sweetly down at her. "Don't know how you got sorted there then."

Hermione blushed slightly as she said, "Well, I didn't fancy being put into Ravenclaw. They're so ... stuffy."

"It seems there needs to be a whole new house made just for you," Tom said. "For those who are everything the houses value. It will be made up of the brave, cunning, loyal and brilliant." He pretended to think for a moment. "Come to think of it, it would be just you and me."

Hermione raised her eyebrows at him. "You and me? I think you just mean me."

Tom pretended to glare, but the smile remained in his eyes. Much to Hermione's surprise, the smile seemed to always be there. Throughout the entire day, Hermione made him smile by doing the littlest things. It was a side of Tom that no one had seen before.

Hermione ended up having the best day of her life. Or at least, one of them. Tom had been everything anyone could want. He was smart, handsome, charming, witty, mature, outgoing, and thoughtful. That last one had surprised Hermione the most, but it had been there. It showed in little ways, like holding the door for Hermione or asking her what her favorite color was.

Hermione almost could not believe that she had ever refused him and not once did she even think about the fact that she was on a date with Voldemort. That was how perfect he was.

The two of them returned to the castle late in the evening and Tom, being the gentleman that he was, walked Hermione up to Gryffindor tower. Both of them found themselves walking slower and slower, trying to make their time together last just a little longer.

They reached the common room, muchsooner then either would have liked, and Hermione turned to face him before opening the portrait hole.

"I actually had a lot of fun today, Tom," Hermione told him, smiling shyly.

Tom smiled back. "Me too, Hermione. Glad you finally agreed?"

"Definitely," Hermione told him, laughing slightly. "I don't know why I didn't before."

"Can't be brilliant all of the time," Tom replied teasingly.

Hermione found herself looking deep into his eyes as she said softly, "I guess not."

Hermione and Tom both leaned in slowly and their hearts were beating faster. Their lips were two inches away when the portrait hole was swung open unexpectedly. The two of them pulled back quickly, Hermione blushing, and they turned to see who was there.

Hermione groaned inwardly. It seemed as if a small crowd of her friends were there, presumably eavesdropping. Henry, Michael and Gina were all glaring at Will who was looking sheepishly at the floor.

"Sorry," he mumbled. "An accident."

Hermione sighed and resisted the urge to rub her temples. She had been so close to kissing him, it would have been the perfect end to the evening.

Hermione glared at her friends, silently promising them that she would get revenge. Michael and Will even took small, timid steps back, not wanting to face Hermione's wrath. Someone that smart would have countless ways of making them regret interrupting.

Hermione, with a sigh, turned back to Tom. "Good night, Tom."

She turned and started walking away when she felt him grab her hand and pull her back. Hermione reacted instantly and wrapped her hands around his neck as he snaked his around her waist.

She could faintly hear the commotion that was going on in the common room. There were sobbing, heartbroken girls and even a few yells. Hermione heard nothing. Not even the shouted conversation that was happening right beside her.

"Gina! Let go of me, I can take him!"

"No, Will. Stop being so stupid."

"But-But he has his hands on our Mione!"

Everything faded away from Hermione. All she could focus on was Tom. How his mouth moved with hers, the feel of his hair underneath her hands...nothing else mattered.

After a noticeably long amount of time, Hermione and Tom pulled back and stared at each other. A silence had come over their audience as the two smiled at each other. Tom, breaking the serenity of the moment, gave Hermione a kiss on the cheek and said, "See you tomorrow."

He walked away then and Hermione found herself staring after him for a moment before she turned to face the gaping Gryffindors. Hermione knew that it would be a long night, she did not care. All she could think about was the sweet Slytherin who had somehow managed to make her happier then she had been in too long.

One and A Half Months Earlier

"No thanks, Henry," Hermione said, declining his offer of playing wizards chess. "I think I'm going to head to bed early."

"I'll play," Richard offered.

Henry groaned. "But you'll win," he whined.

Hermione pretended to glare. "And you think I can't beat you?" she asked. "May I remind you of both of our test scores?"

Henry smiled. "You may be the smartest in classes, but it doesn't exactly carry over to chess. You're pretty awful, Mione."

"Gee, thanks," Hermione mumbled. "You sure know how to flatter a girl."

Hermione said goodnight to her friends and went upstairs. She was about to get changed into her pajamas when she noticed a note on her pillow.

_Hermione,_

_Meet me outside the Great Hall,_

_Tom_

Hermione smiled to herself as she walked over to the mirror and brushed her hair, making herself look a little more presentable. 

Tom and Hermione had become inseparable. Ever since that first date a moth ago they sat together in class, went to Hogsmede together, studied together, spent their free time together and did anything they could together.

Once she was satisfied with her appearance, Hermione cast a disillusionment charm and crept down to the Gryffindor common room.

Hermione walked slowly and stealthily through the room, not wanting to make loud footsteps or carelessly crash into something. She seemed to be alright and made it to the other side of the room carefully. She sighed, this was the boring part. Hermione leaned against the wall and waited for the portrait hole to open.

Not having anything better to do, Hermione started listening to the conversations around her. Much to her surprise, Richard and Henry were not playing chess as she would have expected. Instead they were having a hushed conversation. Apparently it was a depressing one since Richard was staring out of the window gloomily.

Hermioen strained her ears to hear.

"You should just tell her everything," Henry said. "She would definitely pick you over that creep."

Richard shook his head. "No, I'm not going to say anything. She's happy with him. Somehow."

Henry obviously thought differently. "Come off it, she doesn't even know that you like her. You two are close already."

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean much, does it," Richard replied. "She still likes him more than me. I would ask her out but I know that-"

Hermione never got to hear the end of their conversation because the two Gryffindor prefects were walking over to the portrait hole, about to start their rounds. 

Hermione found herself five minutes later walking along side Tom. They were holding hands and walking around the lake.

"Where are we going?" Hermione asked curiously. Tom said nothing, he only smiled secretively and pulled on her hand, leading her somewhere.

Hermione shook her head but followed him anyway. For the first time in a month, Hermione remembered something. She remembered his name in the future, Voldemort.

Hermione shook her head, here she was following the man who grows up to turn the world evil. Startled, Hermione realized that she did not believe the words anymore. She honestly believed that Tom could never be evil. He was so amazing and _good._ At that moment, Hermione stopped thinking about him as potentially evil and started to think of him as good.

Tom stopped walking abruptly and Hermione crashed into him. He turned around and smiled sheepishly at her. "Sorry," he said. His expression changed to one that was slightly anxious and he whispered, "Close your eyes."

Hermione found herself doing so instantly. Tom guided her somewhere and then told her to open her eyes. Hermione did and gasped, he had set up a clearing in a more romantic and beautiful way then she could ever imagine. There was a blanket on the floor for them to sit on and he had made the rose bushes around the clearing bloom out of season. Floating in the air were fifteen or so glowing orbs, about the size of golf balls, that gave off a soft white light.

Hermione, after staring for at least five minutes, turned to Tom and started kissing him. When she pulled back she said, "It's beautiful."

He smiled back at her and replied, "I hoped you would like it."

Hermione just grinned and sat down on the blanket. Tom joined her and they both instinctively looked up at the stars.

They talked about anything they wanted to. They covered everything from their favorite muggle games as children to what they thought the ministry should be doing about Grindelwald.

Half an hour later, Hermione was leaning on Tom's chest as they continued to look up at the stars. There was a slight pause in conversation and Hermione asked, "What brought all this on?"

Tom frowned slightly, "Don't you like it?"

"Of course," Hermione said, shocked that he could think otherwise. "I love it. I was just curious of the reason."

Tom rolled on his side to face Hermione and looked at her for a moment. "I wanted to tell you something," he said.

Hermione, slightly worried at his serious tone, said, "Okay, shoot."

"Hermione, I know that we've only been going out for a month but I feel like I've known you for so much longer. It's like - It's like you're a part of me, and I wasn't complete until I found you. You don't have to say it back, Hermione, but I think I'm in love with you."

Hermione launched herself on Tom and started giving him kisses all over his face. Finally she reached his lips and her quick kisses turned to a slow and sweet one. She pulled back and looked into his eyes. "I think I love you too," she told him.

A/N: Awwwwww...THEY'RE IN LOVE! Isn't it so sweet? Gotta love Tom before he goes all "I'm going to kill you and take over the world" ... that kind of makes me think of Pinky and the Brian. Remember that?

"What are we gonna do tonight, Brain?"

"The same thing we do every night, Pinky. Try to take over the world."

Gotta love those classic cartoons ... whoa, sorry. I'll try to prevent myself in the future from typing out my thoughts. I don't think anyone sane would compare Lord Voldemort to a cartoon mouse. My bad.

review?


	13. The Battle, Part 1

On April Nineteenth, almost four months after I returned home, the final battle had arrived.

There was no other way to describe it, no way to possibly sugar-coat it. Judgment was coming and people would die, nothing could lighten that up. Only the facts should be looked at when dealing with something as serious as the final battle. Petty emotions did not matter, people's fear did not matter - nothing mattered but the truth. By the time April Twentieth came around, the world would either be saved or condemned.

That was how I tried to think of it at the time. Cold, hard facts. My emotions would not let me, though. I was feeling every possible emotion that I could possibly feel, except perhaps happiness.

Dread - Who would not make it? Which of my friends would fall at the hands of a death eater?

Anxiety - What was coming? Could the Order fight off the force that was about to arrive?

Hope - We could do it. We had prepared and everyone would fight till the end.

Hopelessness - We could not do it. Preparation only goes so far.

Fear - What if someone I loved fell? What if I fell?

Bravery - I would fight. I would fight until one side had won.

I felt countless others, but none of it really mattered. Years later, would I look back and think about how hopeful I had been? How lonely, or terrified, or proud I had been? No. At that moment, it was all about what was coming. Nothing else mattered.

I looked around again to check my surroundings, not letting anything slip my notice.

We were at Hogwarts. The Order; sixth and seventh year students, at least those who were able; members of the Ministry; Aurors, and everyone else who was brave enough to fight, had all gathered in front of the entrance doors.

But it was not just wizards and witches who had gathered. Dumbledore had succeeded in gaining other allies to make our army formidable. Though I had no idea of how he had managed it, Dumbledore had some of every possible creature, or so it seemed, standing in front of Hogwarts, willing to protect it. There were unicorns; threstrals; centaurs, those who had chosen a side instead of the majority of their kind; hippogriffs with buckbeak, or whitherwings, among them; gryffins; dragons; goblins; elves; ghosts; house elves, and one giant, Grawp, who had vowed to stand beside is brother no matter what.

They were all there to fight.

As I surveyed our group once again I felt my hope grow. So many had been hurt by death eaters, and all of them were standing together as one. My eyes met with Harry's and he smiled at me. His smile was shaky and only half there. He was scared and we both knew it.

I walked over to him, he was nearby, and said, "Have I ever told you how blessed I am to be your friend?"

His smile became real and he replied, "You don't need to. Have I ever told you how much I could never do anything with out you?"

"You don't need to," I said, repeating his exact words. I smiled at him but then my expression changed to a serious one. "How do you feel?"

He rolled his eyes. "Just peachy," he said, attempting to lighten the mood. It was an impossible feat and his voice betrayed him, cracking on the last syllable.

"You don't need to be so scared," I told him. He opened his mouth to protest but I cut him off. "No, you are. You have many reasons to be. But you still don't have to be so terrified. You are the most brave, skilled, kind-hearted person I have ever met and you'd be surprised about how little doubt I have in you. However things turn out, I know that you are the best warrior the light could ever ask for and that all of us are privileged to fight along side you."

Harry did not know what to say and was truly touched. Unable to express anything in words, he simply hugged me and held on tight. When we pulled back he smiled again and said, "Good luck, Mione. Knock 'em dead."

I laughed. There was nothing else I could do, but my laughter was cut short when I felt a chilling down my spine.

It was here. The first wave of attack had been sent in the form of dementors. It was more than I had ever seen and it was too much for most of us to handle. I heard sobbing and begging from behind me as people relived their worst memories. I concentrated on happiness, all the happy memories I could muster.

"Expecto Petronum," I shouted out. The first to throw up a defense against the mystical creatures. The few that were still standing followed my lead and I saw among them Harry's stag and Ron's terrier join my otter in the sky.

Each patronus only managed to fend off five or so dementors before they extinguished. When I recast the charm, I noticed with dread that there were even less of the silvery animals in the sky. _Are dementors going to be the thing that decides our fate?_ I thought to myself. _Will the battle be over before we even get to face death eaters?_

I set my jaw and continually cast my patronus. It reached the point where there were only three animals in the sky: my otter, Harry's stag and Dumbledore's phoenix.

In only five minutes, the pressure of the countless dementors in the sky had reduced even those to silvery wisps of shields. Not even Dumbledore could fight off so many of them. I fell to my knees as I felt the hopelessness surfacing. No. I would _not_ let it end.

I forced myself to stand up, feeling my legs threaten to give out beneath me once more. I ground my jaw and clenched my fists as I painstakingly took a few steps forward. I was going to fight them, no matter what, but there was no way I could do so when I was listening to the cries and despair of the others behind me.

I only made it ten yards before I fell to the ground. The dread was rising in me and becoming harder and harder to fight. I lifted my wand, knowing that I would have to act soon if I was going to be able to do _something. _I tried to find the right memory.

I thought of the joy I had felt when I had been a small first year seeing that Harry and Ron had come after me to save me from the troll. I thought of how it was because of that act of bravery that I had formed such a strong bond with both of them. "Expecto Patronum," I yelled out.

A small, baby otter managed to come out of my wand. It tried to fight a dementor and I felt my heart sink as I watched it feebly attack. It did not last more than twenty seconds.

I searched again, trying to find a memory powerful enough. This time I thought of the yule ball and how it had been the first night where I was _really_ noticed for something other than my friendship with Harry or my intelligence. I tried again. "Expecto Patronum." My voice was feebler and so was the otter.

The despair the dementors brought was almost too much to even think through. I knew that I would not last any longer. My brain racked for a memory as I lifted my wand. What could be powerful enough to even buy us some time? I ran though every happy thought I had ever had, desperately searching. Right before I shouted out the curse, I saw a face that I had missed so terribly smiling down at me, and the lips moving to tell me that he loved me. "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

The otter flew out of my wand and soared toward the center of the dementors. Before I could fully register what had happened, the otter erupted into a burst of blinding white light and when my eyes adjusted back to the normal light, I saw that all the dementors had disappeared.

Unable to hold myself up any longer, I crumpled to the ground. The spell had exhausted me so much, I even closed my eyes and let my hair fall over my face.

Suddenly, a chilling voice echoed through the clearing. "Well, well. It seems as if you really did manage to fend them off. How disappointing. For a while I thought you had given up so easily. Such a shame. Now, who managed to cast that spell which has displeased me so? Potter? Dumbledore?" As soon as he started talking I, along with everyone else, immediately knew that it was Voldemort. No one else could possess such a chilling thought. It felt as if the dementors had come back, the dread I felt at seeing him was so strong.

As his speech, for that was what it felt like to me, went on his voice lost the echo-like tone and was slowly stabilizing, almost as if he was appearing out of thin air. With a start, I realized that _was _the case. He had found a way to just...appear.

He had finally fully materialized and continued talking. "Well, this is a surprise. It seems as if it was not Potter or Dumbledore at all. Am I really supposed to believe that the dementors were all defeated by one spell of yours? I don't think so. Didn't your mother ever tell you not to play with magic, little girl?" His voice almost held disgust and I knew that he was talking to me.

I talked forcefully, trying to mask how terrified I really was. "I was always one to play with my magic, Tom. You of all people should know that. After all, it was one of the things we had in common."

With a great amount of effort, I stood up. The last thing to straighten out was my head and I watched his face as the hair was swept out of my face.

He recognized me instantly and a look of shock came across his face. He stumbled back a few steps, and was unable to say anything.

All the two of us could do was stare at one another. In that instant, the entire battle fell away. Neither of us thought about how the world's fate was being decided, nor about how he stood in front of an army of death eaters and how I stood in front of an army for the light.

Six months ago, for him fifty years, we had been just a boy and a girl. A boy and a girl telling each other that they were in love. A boy and a girl who needed each other to be complete. A boy and a girl who wanted, more than anything else, to just be together.

And now six months or fifty years later, depending on how you saw it, we were still a boy and a girl. the only difference was that the boy had grown evil, and the girl had remained good. The boy and the girl were now enemies and as they faced each other for the first time in so long, the girl knew that the boy needed to be stopped. Looking into the face that had become so distorted, she fully understood how far they really had drifted from the simple boy and girl who had known each other so long ago. The girl knew somehow, that in a few moments the boy and the girl would be trying to kill each other.

The girl wanted to cry.

A/N: AHHHHH!! They finally met each other again! Whoa. Well? What did everyone think? Was it all you dreamed it would be and more? Of course, we haven't even gotten to the _real_ good stuff yet. Oh no. This is just when they first _see_ each other. Just wait until the confrontation really gets going.

But you still have a chapter to wait, after all, there are still the interludes to think about.

review?


	14. Seventh Interlude

Six Days Earlier

Tom was more than Hermione could have ever hoped for. He was perfect and he genuinely cared about her, and Hermione loved him for it. He was so sweet, caring, charming -

"Hello," a voice yelled out, interrupting Hermione's thoughts. "You in there, Hermione?"

Hermione blinked a few times before looking around and seeing Will right in front of her, waving his hand in front of her face.

She shook her head and asked, "What?"

He smiled at her, "Thought I'd lost you for a moment. Glad you're still here though, I don't like the idea of Riddle coming after me to kill me."

Hermione mock glared and playfully hit him on the shoulder. "So why did you feel the need to interrupt my thinking? Which, might I add, is so much more interesting than this."

"Ouch. I hope you know that that hurts. I'll just go cry in the corner and leave you to your interesting thoughts."

Will started to walk off when Hermione called out, "Alright, alright. You are a very interesting person. I would love to hear what you have to say."

Will's pouting expression changed immediately into a grin. "Of course you would. I wanted to know if you want to play a game of chess."

"That's it?" Hermione asked, slightly exasperated. Will continued to grin and nodded. Hermione sighed in response. "Alright, but this time I am going to crush you."

Will smiled and, as if she were a two-year-old, said, "Of course you will, of course."

Hermione glared and the two of them sat down. An hour and six chess games later, it was time for lunch and an extremely annoyed Hermione stood up. The entire walk down to the Great Hall was spent cursing the game of chess for Hermione and laughing at her for Will.

They joined the rest of their friends at the table and jumped in the conversation.

On the other side of the room, Tom spotted his girlfriend enter and sat down. He took out a piece of paper and started scribbling on it. He took out his wand and levitated it over to where Hermione sat. When it was right above her, he dropped it and it landed in her lap.

Hermione jumped slightly when she felt it but looked down and saw that it was a note. She opened it up and read,

_How does dinner alone in the Room of Requirement sound?_

Hermione looked up and smiled at Tom, who was looking right at her. She took out a quill and responded.

_Sounds perfect. What time should I meet you there?_

She sent it over to Tom who scanned it quickly, wrote something down, and sent it back to her.

_How about at seven? And I think a fancy dinner would be nice. Dress your best._

Hermione was slightly distracted for the rest of the day, wondering what Tom had planned. And she _knew_ that he was up to something, why else would he have set up a romantic dinner just for the two of them?

A little after six, Hermione enlisted Gina's help. When Gina found out about the dinner, and the fact that Hermione had no dress and no make up, she jumped at the chance and started working immediately.

An hour later, Hermione found herself standing in front of the door. For some unexplained reason, Hermione felt slightly nervous. She shook her head, telling herself that they had dates before, this one would not be any different.

Hermione opened the door and entered. Her eyes immediately found Tom who was walking over to her. Without any greeting, Tom just walked up to her and kissed her.

Hermione smiled when the kiss ended. "Well, hello to you too."

He grinned lovingly down at her and replied, "You look gorgeous tonight."

And Hermione did. Gina had given Hermione her best dress. It was a floor length purple gown that was made of silk and flowed beautifully. The straps were about an inch thick that scooped down into a flattering v-neck.

Hermione smiled at the compliment and told him, "You look pretty handsome yourself."

And Tom did. He was wearing a simple button down shirt with black pants. The sleeves of his shirt were pushed up to his elbows, showing muscular forearms.

The two kept smiling at each other as they sat down and began eating. Tom knew exactly how to create the perfect night, he had even plated Hermione's dish with exactly what she wanted.

When they had finished eating the two moved over and sat on a couch towards the side of the room. They talked for a while but ended up just laying there in each other's arms.

"Hermione?" Tom asked. She looked up at him, showing that she was listening. "I want you to know that since you came here, I've been happier than I ever thought I could be. You have been my entire life since the first day when I saw you trip in the hall. Even when we hated each other, you were all I could ever think of and I don't know how I was ever able to live before I met you."

Hermione smiled up at him and gave him a kiss. Before she could respond though, Tom stood up and pulled her up too. Hermione was slightly confused but obliged.

Tom got down on one knee and Hermione immediately knew what he was doing. When he pulled out a ring, Hermione's thoughts were confirmed.

Tom continued to talk. "I don't know how I managed before I met you," he repeated. "And I don't know how I would ever live if I didn't have you. Who knows what I would become. I love you, Hermione Dumbledore, and I want to know if you'll marry me."

Hermione had no idea what to say. Throughout his entire speech, she had to resist from screaming that she would stay with him forever. But when he called her Hermione Dumbledore, she was thrown back into reality and her happiness came crashing down into despair.

Hermione could think of only one thing. Home. She saw the faces of all her friends that she had not seen for months. Harry was there, reminding her of how Voldemort killed his parents. Ginny was there, telling Hermione of the horror she went through when she was possessed by the diary of Tom Riddle. Ron was there, listing the names of people that died because of him. Sirius Black, Cedric Diggory, Moaning Myrtle ...

Hermione opened her mouth and closed it a few times, not knowing how to start. "Tom...Tom, I'm so sorry," she whispered. His face fell, knowing what was coming. "I can't marry you. I want to, you have no idea how much, but I just can't. I wish I could tell you why but the truth is something that is sometimes better left unknown."

There was silence in the room as they both stood there, frozen in their positions. "I'm sorry Tom," Hermione repeated. "I should probably go." There was no response and Hermione started walking towards the door.

Her hand was on the door knob when Tom called out to her, "Hermione, wait."

Hermione turned around and saw him walking towards her. He took her hand and placed the ring in it. "Think about it. I did not have high expectations. High hopes, yes, but I knew there wasn't much chance of you saying yes. Just - just hold on to the ring. And think about it."

Hermione smiled slightly. "I will Tom."

Much to Hermione's relief, Tom smiled back at her before leaning down and kissing her. Hermione was endlessly grateful, Tom was silently telling her that things would still me normal between the two of them. When they pulled back Hermione said, "Good night Tom."

Seven Minutes Earlier

Hermione was smiling to herself. Today was Christmas Eve and she and Tom were going to spend the entire day in Hogsmede. Hermione was a third of the way there, almost halfway to the Transfiguration classroom, when the strap of the bag she was carrying broke.

Hermione silently cursed and started picking everything up and throwing it into her bag. She cast a charm to see what time it was. 2:27. She had promised to meet in three minutes, so she charmed her bag to be weightless and started sprinting down the hallway.

Hermione immediately froze, feeling an odd sense of deja vu. She shook her head, she was going to be late and she needed to hurry. A second later she was running back down the hallway.

Hermione suddenly tripped over something and her brain simultaneously realized why this was so familiar. Time seemed to slow down as she fell and she knew exactly what was happening. She was going back. She knew it and there was nothing that she could do about it.

Before she felt the ground, one word echoed through her head. It was the name of the person she was in love. The one she had been on her way to spend Christmas Eve with. The man that she was planning on telling that she had reconsidered and had decided to marry. She closed her eyes. _Tom..._

A/N: Poor Hermione. And poor Tom. Poor unborn babies!!

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	15. The Battle, Part 2

Nothing was said for the next few moments but everything we did not say was hanging in the air. My eye contact with Tom did not break. I did not even know what to think. He was not the seventeen year old boy I had fallen in love with, yet at the same time, he was.

He broke the silence first. "Hermione Granger..." he said. His voice was quiet but it carried out through the entire space. "Hermione Granger," he repeated. "I never made the connection. I never even doubted that you were a Dumbledore."

"I know," I told him. "I had to make sure there was no doubt. In anyone."

Tom shook his head, as if that action would somehow make his thoughts come together. "Time travel," he guessed. "Am I right?"

I nodded. "Time travel," I repeated.

The silence returned and I found myself wanting to break it. I wanted to run to Tom and explain everything. I wanted to hold him as I used to everyday. But I did not. He would not appreciate some girl throwing her arms around him.

I lowered my eyes. "I'm sorry, Tom," I told him. "I'm sorry for everything. I'm sorry for-" I looked up and my voice almost broke. "For making you into this," I whispered.

I could sense everyone at my back. All my friends and allies. And I could see all the death eaters behind Tom. It was almost poetic, how we both had an army behind us. The real problem was that the armies were fighting against each other.

I waited for Tom to reply, anxious to see what he had to say. He was frowning, and seeing as how he had become the Dark Lord, I expected that he did that often. But this was a different kind of frown than what I would have expected. It was as if he were concentrating on the most unpleasant thing he could think of. I could only guess that he was thinking of his time with me and the ending it had.

"Why did you come to the past?" he asked.

"I didn't," I said, knowing that I owed him at least some honesty. "I don't even know how it happened. I just tripped and when I looked up from the ground, there was you."

He looked as if he were in deep concentration and I guessed that he was reliving the memory, playing the first time we met over in his head.

_"May I help you?"_

_"Yes, thank you."_

_The boy offered his hand, but Hermione got up on her own._

Not changing expression, Tom asked, "Why did you come back to the future?"

"I didn't," I repeated. "I was thrown back here the same way I arrived. I tripped and...and you was gone."

_Time seemed to slow down as she fell and she knew exactly what was happening. She was going back._

_She closed her eyes. Tom..._

"It was so long ago," Tom said. "So long that it feels like I was completely different."

"You were completely different," I said softly. His eyes snapped towards mind and his gaze was unreadable. "It feels as if someone else was telling our story."

He nodded silently agreeing.

All of a sudden, I yelled out, "Why? Why did you do it?" I suddenly became furious and I could not control myself. "How could you kill so many people? How did you lose yourself? HOW COULD YOU BECOME VOLDEMORT?"

"Becuase you were the good inside of me. And without you, how could I be what I was before?" His voice never wavered and I found myself wondering how much Tom had thought about me over the years.

I shook my head. "Bullshit," I said, beyond the point of caring about anything. All there was was me and him, and all I wanted was the truth.

His eyes flashed but I kept talking. "You could have been so many things Tom. Of all paths you could have chosen, it breaks my heart that you picked this one."

"You have no right to think anything about me," he hissed. "You leaving was what sent me over the edge. Do you want to know what I did when you disappeared?"

He waited for an answer and I said, "Yes." Plain and simple.

"I found your friend, the brunette girl, and I demanded to know where you were. She said she did not know and I thought she was lying. I crucioed her, trying to figure out the truth. I was already torturing her, only two days after you disappeared."

My gaze turned even colder. "Then it seems as if you were already doomed."

He shook his head and I saw an expression return to his face that I had not expected to see him wear ever again. His eyes softened and he looked at me as he did so long ago, back when we were different people.

"Yes. I _was_ doomed. But then came you and I knew that everything would be made right. Because you were my light. You were my heart, my mind, my love - you slowly became every part of me and you slowly put me back together. I was only doomed if you were to leave me...and you did."

It was my turn to shake my head. "No," I said in a quiet, but firm, voice. For every part of his gaze that was loving, mine held nothing. All the anger that had built up inside of me vanished and all the tears that were threatening to escape my eyes evaporated. I was filled with nothing, a consuming numbness that would never be filled up again.

"Yes," Tom countered. "We were taken away from each other so long ago, and now we have our chance to be together as we should be. Hermione, come with me. _Rule_ with me. I can make the world into anything you want. I will do anything for you, anything to keep you from leaving me again."

I looked into his eyes and what I saw almost made the little spirit I still had left break. I saw a heartbroken teenager, whose love had been taken away from him, leaving him lost and alone. He was a wandering child who was trying to find his happiness again.

But he was not that lonely teenager, and nothing could make me think otherwise.

"No," I repeated.

His face was filled with anguish, oblivious to the people that surrounded the two of us. "Hermione - Hermione, please. Don't do this to us again. Not now that we have a second chance. Not now..."

That same silence filled up the space. No one dared to even breathe too loudly, everyone was focused on me, watching to see what I would do.

As soon as the silence really became quiet, a rush of thoughts were in my head. But I somehow knew all along how this would end, there was just no other way for it to happen.

"Ever since I left, I've been waiting," I told Tom. "Waiting for the time when you and I could be together again. Because we are meant to be. There is no other way I could live now that I've been with you. But I've realized something. I will always be waiting. I will always be searching for the Tom that I loved, and still love, with every part of me. I open my eyes, only for the hope that I might see him again. And when I talk, it is just for the slight chance that maybe he'll hear me and answer. I will always be searching for that one man that I love. _But he is not you._ And so I will keep waiting, only in hell, for I know that that is where I am going. I have not found him in this world, so I will move on and search in the next."

I was still clutching my wand in my hand and I pointed it towards myself.

"Hermione don't!" I heard Harry yell out behind me.

"I'm sorry Harry, and you too Ron. I know you will never fully understand, and I am glad for that. The only way you could is if you lived through what I did, and I would never wish that upon anyone. Know that I love you both more than I can say and that you will always be with me." I did not even turn around as I talked. My voice carried over to them and I could not tear my gaze away from Tom. All he could do was just stare at me in horror.

"Good bye, Voldemort," I said to Tom coldly. "Chances are we'll meet in hell."

And now I find myself standing in the middle of a clearing in front of Hogwarts. I am facing Voldemort and I am empty. The numbness I felt spread into all of my brain. Only one thing matters now. The Tom I love is dead, and in order to find him, I have to be dead as well. For I know that I will find him. Our fate is to be together, no matter how. For us to be apart would be like separating the sun from the flames that surround it. We just have to be together.

I shout the words that are going to kill me and there is still no doubt in my mind. "Avada Kedavra."

There is a flash of green light and I have time to think one thought.

_I am coming, Tom. We'll be together again..._

_--_--

Not even a second later, the green light disappeared. No one had moved, all frozen in shock. The only difference in the clearing was that Hermione was no longer standing, but lying on the ground lifeless.

For a moment, no one moved. All they did was stare at the spot where Hermione Granger laid dead.

Before anyone else fully registered what had happened, Vodlemort had run over to her and held her in his arms, rocking her back and forth. Not a single tear fell from his face, but the expression he wore was enough to break anyone's heart.

But Harry Potter was furious. He had lost his best friend and sister all because of the monster in front of him. He walked slowly and menacingly up to where Voldemort was sitting on the ground, holding Hermione's body.

"Get up," Harry spat, the venom in his voice causing the people around him to shiver with fear.

Voldemort laid Hermione lovingly back on the ground and folded her arms across her chest. He wiped a strand of hair off of her face and stared at her for a few more minutes. He slowly stood up and faced his enemy.

Voldemort took out his wand, and Harry gripped his tighter, preparing for a fight. The last thing anyone expected was for Voldemort to toss his wand at Harry Potter's feet.

"I do not know how many of the Horcruxes you have found. I believe that you have already destroyed my Diary, but I do not know about the others. Marvolo Gaunt's ring is under the floorboards in the house where he used to live. Helga Hufflepuff's Cup is in the care of Bellatrix Lestrange. Slytherin's locket is hidden in a cave at the lowest point on the map. Ravenclaw's Diadam is in the Room of Requirement. Nagini, my snake, is currently hiding in Riddle Manor. And you Potter, you are also a Horcrux."

Harry frowned, confused. "Why are you telling me this?" he demanded to know.

"Because," Voldemort said, his voice strained. "This was what she wanted."

Harry killed Voldemort that day. With the help of Ron, Dumbledore and a few other trusted members of the Order, they were able to track down all of the Horcruxes and destroy them.

Dumbledore sacrificed his life when they had to find the locket, after already being seriously injured by destroying Marvolo Gaunt's ring. Everyone was always worried about Harry, the seventh Horcrux. No one wanted to kill the man who had saved them, but he was still a danger. No one quite knows what happened but Harry was killed, by a former death eater, and somehow came back.

Much to the surprise of many people, Harry was not seen as the sole hero. Many people believed that there were two that day, the Chosen One and Hermione Granger, Love's Sacrifice.

Her story was told years after her death and no one was ever able to forget how she was the reason for the death of the Darkest Wizard of all time. Not by fighting him, but by loving him. And no one ever doubted the pain she had to go through to help end the war.

But those who were there that day knew that none of that would have mattered to Hermione. She did not care about fame or being remembered. All she wanted was to be reunited with Tom.

And years later, long after the war had ended and the world had healed, years after the death of the Boy Who Lived, everyone still wondered if Hermione got her happy ending. Her Tom.

A/N: The End. I hope that met everyone's expectations, even if it was extremely sad. Even I didn't think that Hermione would kill herself but I wanted to do something different and it just kind of came out.

I don't usually do this, but there are two reviewers who I want to thank. Esme's Favorite Daughter and Obsidian Moon. Esme's Favorite Daughter has reviewed since the second chapter and always gives me positive but constructive feedback - even if it is just telling me that a sentence doesn't make sense. Obsidian Moon has been reviewing since the first chapters and her reviews are always my favorites to read. Thank you both so much, I've loved all of your reviews.

And that's the end of my story! I'll still be busy enough with three other stories that I'm writing, but it always feels so weird to finish one of these. I hope that everyone enjoyed it, despite some chapters that were extremely boring. Thank you to everyone who reviewed and everyone who reviews in the future.

Review?


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